1.
An open-label prospective randomized multicenter study of intensive versus weekly granulocyte and monocyte apheresis in active crohn's disease
Yoshimura N, Yokoyama Y, Matsuoka K, Takahashi H, Iwakiri R, Yamamoto T, Nakagawa T, Fukuchi T, Motoya S, Kunisaki R, et al
BMC Gastroenterology. 2015;15((1)):163.
Abstract
BACKGROUND Granulocyte and monocyte adsorptive apheresis (GMA) has shown efficacy in patients with active Crohn's disease (CD). However, with routine weekly therapy, it may take several weeks to achieve remission. This study was performed to assess clinical efficacy and safety of intensive GMA in patients with active CD. METHODS In an open-label, prospective, randomized multicentre setting, 104 patients with CD activity index (CDAI) of 200 to 450 received intensive GMA, at two sessions per week (n = 55) or one session per week (n = 49). Clinical remission was defined as a CDAI score <150. Patients in each arm could receive up to 10 GMA sessions. However, GMA treatment could be discontinued when CDAI decreased to <150 (clinical remission level). RESULTS Of the 104 patients, 99 were available for efficacy evaluation as per protocol, 45 in the weekly GMA group, and 54 in the intensive GMA group. Remission was achieved in 16 of 45 patients (35.6 %) in the weekly GMA and in 19 of 54 (35.2 %) in the intensive GMA (NS). Further, the mean time to remission was 35.4 +/- 5.3 days in the weekly GMA and 21.7 +/- 2.7 days in the intensive GMA (P = 0.0373). Elevated leucocytes and erythrocyte sedimentation rate were significantly improved by intensive GMA, from 8005/muL to 6950/muL (P = 0.0461) and from 54.5 mm/hr to 30.0 mm/hr (P = 0.0059), respectively. In both arms, GMA was well tolerated and was without safety concern. CONCLUSIONS In this study, with respect to remission rate, intensive GMA was not superior to weekly GMA, but the time to remission was significantly shorter in the former without increasing the incidence of side effects. UMIN registration # 000003666.
2.
Intermittent granulocyte and monocyte apheresis versus mercaptopurine for maintaining remission of ulcerative colitis: a pilot study
Sakuraba A, Sato T, Morohoshi Y, Matsuoka K, Okamoto S, Inoue N
Therapeutic Apheresis and Dialysis. 2012;16((3):):213-8.
Abstract
The effect of granulocyte and monocyte adsorption apheresis (GMA) on prevention of relapse of ulcerative colitis (UC) is not clear. This was a pilot open-labeled, prospective, randomized, unblinded study to compare the tolerability and efficacy of intermittent GMA (once every 2weeks) with mercaptopurine to maintain remission of UC. Twenty-one patients with UC, who had achieved remission by induction therapies were randomly assigned to receive either intermittent GMA (N=10) or oral mercaptopurine (0.5mg/kg per day; N=11). The study period was 24months. The rate of the patients maintaining remission and the incidences of adverse effects were compared between the two groups. At 24months, seven of 10 patients (70.0%) on intermittent GMA and seven of 11 patients (63.6%, P=1.00) on oral mercaptopurine were still in remission. Three patients relapsed in each group. One patient taking mercaptopurine, but none receiving intermittent GMA, dropped out because of adverse effects. Intermittent therapy with GMA was well tolerated and a substantial proportion of patients maintained remission. Intermittent GMA therapy in maintaining remission of UC merits further investigation. 2012 The Authors. Therapeutic Apheresis and Dialysis 2012 International Society for Apheresis
3.
A pilot open-labeled prospective randomized study between weekly and intensive treatment of granulocyte and monocyte adsorption apheresis for active ulcerative colitis
Sakuraba A, Sato T, Naganuma M, Morohoshi Y, Matsuoka K, Inoue N, Takaishi H, Ogata H, Iwao Y, Hibi T
Journal of Gastroenterology. 2008;43((1):):51-6.
Abstract
BACKGROUND Recently, granulocyte and monocyte adsorption apheresis (GMA) has been shown to be effective for active ulcerative colitis (UC). Its original weekly treatment schedule is effective in about 70% of active UC. However, it takes about 3-4 weeks to achieve remission, and the efficacy of a more frequent treatment schedule has not been elucidated yet. We performed a pilot open-labeled prospective, randomized, controlled study comparing weekly and an intensive treatment schedule with three treatment sessions per week in the first 2 weeks. METHODS Thirty active UC patients with moderate disease activity were prospectively and randomly assigned to receive the original or the intensive treatment schedule for a total of ten sessions. The proportion of the patients achieving remission and the time to achieve remission among them was compared between the two groups. The incidences of adverse effects were also compared between the two groups. RESULTS The rate of inducing remission in the original and intensive treatment group was 66. 7% and 80%, respectively (P = 0. 25, NS). The time to achieve remission was 27. 2 days in the original group and 10. 7 days in the intensive group (P = 0. 04). Adverse effects were observed in two patients in each groups (NS). CONCLUSIONS Intensive treatment with GMA is an efficacious and safe treatment for active UC. Because it induces rapid remission, it may be a more ideal treatment regimen than the conventional weekly treatment.