Plasmapheresis effectively abrogates severe liver toxicity of pegaspargase in a patient with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

This article discusses the case of a 57-year-old male with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) who experienced severe liver toxicity after receiving pegaspargase, a type of asparaginase used in ALL treatment. The patient's liver function tests increased, and high levels of asparaginase activity were detected in the serum. To address this toxicity, the patient underwent plasmapheresis, a procedure to remove asparaginase from the circulation. This intervention resulted in a rapid decrease in asparaginase activity and normalization of liver function. The authors suggest that plasmapheresis should be considered in the treatment of severe asparaginase toxicities. [Extracted from the article]