Takayuki Yamamoto ¹, Toshiaki Tanaka ², Tadashi Yokoyama ³, Takahiro Shimoyama ¹, Hiroki Ikeuchi ⁴, Motoi Uchino ⁴, Toshiaki Watanabe ⁵ , Therap Adv Gastroenterol. 2017 Feb;10(2):199-206.

GMA has a good safety profile, but its efficacy appears to be limited in the management of chronic refractory pouchitis. However, a large controlled study should be conducted to evaluate the efficacy of GMA therapy in patients with pouchitis at an earlier clinical stage, before the disease has become refractory to conventional medical therapy.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28203278/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5298477/pdf/10.1177_1756283X16679348.pdf

A Hillary Steinhart , Ofer Ben-Bassat Frontline Gastroenterol 2013 Jul;4(3):198-204. doi: 10.1136/flgastro-2012-100171. Epub 2013 Nov 12.

Up to 30% of patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) will require surgical management. The established surgical procedure of choice is colectomy with ileal pouch-anal anastomosis (IPAA) for most patients. Patients with UC who have undergone IPAA are prone to develop inflammatory and non-inflammatory complications. Up to 50% of patients can be expected to experience at least one episode of pouchitis, and most of these patients will experience at least one additional acute episode within 2 years. In other cases, pouchitis might follow a relapsing-remitting course or a chronically active course. The specific aetiology of pouchitis is unknown and the optimal means of diagnosis and classification of pouchitis is not completely agreed upon. Diagnosis of pouchitis based on symptoms alone has been shown to be non-specific due to the fact that symptoms can originate from a myriad of aetiologies, not necessarily inflammatory in nature. As a result, the diagnosis of pouchitis should generally be based on the appropriate constellation of symptoms, combined with endoscopic and histological assessment. Due to the frequently relapsing course of pouchitis, and the fact that the aetiology and pathogenesis are not entirely clear, the long-term management can sometimes be challenging. This review outlines the features suggestive of deviation from ‘normal’ pouch function and provides an approach to the optimal use of diagnostic modalities and medical therapies to treat pouchitis in its various forms.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28839726/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5369791/

Yasumi Araki ¹, Keiichi Mitsuyama, Takaaki Nagae, Yuji Tou, Motonori Nakagawa, Yasue Iwatani, Masakazu Harada, Hiroyuki Ozasa, Michio Sata, Toshihiro Noake, J Gastroenterol. 2008;43(7):571-5.

Background: Pouchitis is a major long-term complication of ileal pouch-anal anastomosis for ulcerative colitis. The aim of this study is to investigate the efficacy of leukocytapheresis for the treatment of active pouchitis. Methods: Eight patients with active pouchitis received leukocytapheresis weekly for 5 weeks in an open-label treatment protocol together with baseline therapy. Results: Patients showed significant improvement in their pouchitis disease activity index scores, from 9.5 (range, 8-10) to 4.0 (range, 2-8) (P < 0.05). Six (75%) of the 8 treated patients achieved remission. No adverse events were observed. Conclusions: Leukocytapheresis therapy could be a new therapeutic strategy for patients with pouchitis after ileal pouch-anal anastomosis for ulcerative colitis. These encouraging results lead us to propose a randomized controlled trial.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18648745/

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

Our case and the case of Kanekura et al⁸ suggest that circulating leukocytes may play an important role in the pathogenesis of PG and that GCAP in combination with corticosteroids may be a promising strategy for intractable PG. Furthermore, as has been the case for active UC, GCAP may be a choice for severe pouchitis. An accumulation of data with respect to the effect of GCAP on pouchitis seems to be warranted.

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

https://academic.oup.com/ibdjournal/article/11/8/780/4685895

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/