Yasuo Suzuki 1, Naoki Yoshimura, Katsuyuki Fukuda, Koji Shirai, Yasushi Saito, Abbi R Saniabadi
Tag: first-line treatment
Scientific corner
A retrospective search for predictors of clinical response to selective granulocyte and monocyte apheresis in patients with ulcerative colitis
Recently, selective granulocytapheresis (Adacolumn) has appeared as a new treatment for patients with inflammatory bowel disease. This study sought to determine predictors of response to this new nonpharmacologic mode of therapy by retrospectively evaluating 28 patients who received granulocytapheresis after experiencing active ulcerative colitis (UC). Between April 2000 and March 2004, 28 consecutive patients received granulocytapheresis for active UC with the Adacolumn, which is filled with cellulose acetate beads as the column leukocytapheresis carriers; the carriers adsorb granulocytes, monocytes/macrophages, and a small fraction of lymphocytes (FcgammaR and complement receptors bearing leukocytes). Each patient could receive up to 10 Adacolumn sessions, at 2 sessions per week. In 2004, clinical response was retrospectively evaluated. Seven days after the last Adacolumn session, 20 of 28 patients had remission (colitis activity index [CAI] < or =4) including all 8 patients who had their first UC episode. The mean duration of UC in the 8 first episode cases was 3.4 months compared with 40.2 months for all 28 patients and 65.4 months for the 8 nonresponders. The response to Adacolumn was independent of basal CAI. The 8 nonresponders were given conventional medication (CM) or cyclosporine (CsA) if the former failed. Two responded to CM, 3 to CsA, and 3 underwent colectomy. First UC episode and short disease duration appear good predictors of response to granulocytapheresis. Selective granulocytapheresis might be an effective first-line treatment.
Scientific corner
Selective granulocyte and monocyte adsorptive apheresis as a first-line treatment for steroid naïve patients with active ulcerative colitis: a prospective uncontrolled study
Corticosteroid therapy of ulcerative colitis (UC) is associated with frequent adverse side effects and poor quality of life. Recently, adsorptive granulocyte and monocyte/macrophage apheresis has shown efficacy in patients with severe steroid refractory UC. The objective of this study was to investigate if, instead of corticosteroids, adsorptive leukocytapheresis has efficacy as the first-line therapy for steroid-naïve patients with active UC. Twenty patients, aged 15-49 years, with a mean clinical activity index (CAI) of 8.6 were recruited. Adsorptive leukocytapheresis was done with Adacolumn, which contains cellulose acetate beads as adsorptive carriers for granulocytes and monocytes (FcgammaR and complement receptors expressing leukocytes). Each patient received 6 to 10 leukocytapheresis sessions of 60-min duration, at 2 sessions/week. Efficacy was assessed 1 week after the last session. Post treatment, the mean CAI was 3.0 (P = 0001), and 17 of 20 patients (85%) were in remission. There were significant falls in C-reactive protein (P = 0.0003), total white cell counts (P = 0.003), neutrophils (P = 0.0029), and monocytes (P = 0.0038), an increase in lymphocytes (P = 0.001), and increases in the blood levels of soluble TNF-alpha receptors I (P = 0.0007) and II (P = 0.0045) in the column outflow (blood return to the patients). Further, at 8 months, 60% of patients had maintained their remission. No severe side effects were reported. In conclusion, adsorptive leukocytapheresis should reduce corticosteroid therapy in patients with moderate UC; cases with early-stage active disease may benefit most.
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