Ritsuko Yanaru-Fujisawa, Takayuki Matsumoto, Shotaro Nakamura, Shuji Kochi, Mitsuo Iida, Futoshi Kohda, Minako Hirahashi, Takashi Yao, Ryuichi Mibu Case Reports Inflamm Bowel Dis. 2005 Aug;11(8):780 DOI: 10.1097/01.mib.0000172558.39767.b7

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16043996/

Tamotsu Ishizuka ¹, Tadayoshi Kawata, Yasuo Shimizu, Mitsuyoshi Utsugi, Katsuaki Endou, Takeshi Hisada, Kunio Dobashi, Tsugio Nakazawa, Masatomo Mori

Inflammation. 2005 Feb;29(1):9-16. doi: 10.1007/s10753-006-8963-5.

The Adacolumn is an adsorptive-type extracorporeal device, which is filled with cellulose diacetate beads that selectively adsorb granulocytes and monocytes. Patients with severe persistent asthma experience highly variable continuous symptoms and severe exacerbations in spite of medication based on inhaled glucocorticosteroids. Granulocyte and monocyte adsorption apheresis using extracorporeal circulation through the Adacolumn was performed in nine patients with severe persistent asthma. The extracorporeal circulation through the Adacolumn was performed once a week for 5 weeks. We were able to perform this therapy without any severe adverse effects in all patients, although one patient complained of general fatigue just after the circulations. In six of the nine patients, the increase in peak expiratory flow (PEF) was more than 50 mL/min. The average increase in morning PEF was 23.3% while that in the evening PEF was 26.4% after the therapy. This therapy was not harmful for patients with severe persistent asthma. A placebo-controlled study will be desired to evaluate the efficacy of this nonpharmacological strategy accurately.

Takeshi Kusaka ¹, Ken Fukunaga, Kunio Ohnishi, Tadashi Kosaka, Toshihiko Tomita, Yoko Yokoyama, Koji Sawada, Yoshihiro Fukuda, Hiroto Miwa, Takayuki Matsumoto

J Clin Apher. 2004;19(4):168-73. doi: 10.1002/jca.20023.

Six patients with active Crohn’s disease (CD) unresponsive to conventional medications (CM) were treated with Monocyte-granulocytapheresis (M-GCAP). CD patients who scored 200-400 points in Crohn’s disease activity index (CDAI) in spite of receiving CM, including enteral nutrition, for at least 2 weeks were enrolled in our double series trial. Each series had 5 weekly M-GCAP and 2 follow-up weeks, and each M-GCAP treated 1,800 ml of patient’s peripheral blood. After the 1st series, patients who decreased more than 50 points on the CDAI were deemed responders and enrolled in the second series. Patients with a CDAI score less than 150 points were considered in remission. The patients’ quality of life was evaluated using an index (IBDQ) before and after the 1st series. The CDAI was significantly decreased comparing before and after the 1st series (258.2 +/- 36.2 vs. 166.5 +/- 16.6; P < 0.02). 50% of patients (3/6) responded to the therapy, and one case (16.7%) could be induced to remission. Significant removal was revealed only for white blood cells (25.6 +/- 16.9%; P < 0.05), especially granulocytes (29.5 +/- 22.5%; P < 0.05). A statistically significant improvement of IBDQ was revealed in the responders’ group (162.3 +/- 17.2 vs. 189.3 +/- 11.5; P < 0.03). M-GCAP could be an effective adjunctive therapy for active CD patients unresponsive to CM allowing them to maintain a high QOL. However, it might be difficult to improve patients who could not be induced to remission after the 1st series by applying another series.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15597346/

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jca.20023

P.M. Irving, D.S. Rampton

Digestive and Liver Disease 36 (2004) 799–802

we discuss the theory behind using leucocytapheresis to treat IBD, its different forms, the way in which these remove leucocytes, and the indications, efficacy, safety, and possible future role of leucocytapheresis.

if randomised controlled trials confirm its safety and efficacy in steroid-refractory colitis, it would be tempting to compare leucocytapheresis with cyclosporin rescue therapy in that it can be used on an out-patient basis and, unlike cyclosporin, is not yet reported to have serious side-effects. Furthermore, in patients refractory to aminosalicylates, leucocytapheresis could conceivably have a place as maintenance therapy. Azathioprine and 6-mercaptopurine are not always effective and have rare
but serious side-effects; leucocytapheresis, at least in theory, might be an attractive alternative.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15646424/

https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S1590-8658(04)00361-5