Removal of autoantibodies in dilated cardiomyopathy by immunoadsorption.

Immunoadsorption with Ig-Therasorb leads to a marked decrease in serum levels of immunoglobulins including of the agonist-like anti-beta 1-adrenoceptor autoantibody found in the serum of patients with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy. The reduction in autoantibody levels was accompanied by an improvement of heart function and a shift to a lower NYHA state. In this disease, as in a variety of other autoimmune disorders, apheresis with Ig-Therasorb led to a rapid improvement of the clinical status and could be used in end-stage dilated cardiomyopathy (with autoantibodies) as a bridge for transplantation.