Leukocytapheresis in a girl with severe ulcerative colitis refractory to corticosteroids, infliximab, and cyclosporine A

Granulocyte and monocyte/macrophage apheresis in paediatric patients with ulcerative colitis: a case series in Spain

Paediatric ulcerative colitis (UC) can cause malnutrition and growth retardation but its treatment can be limited by the potential adverse events of corticosteroids and anti-TNF agents in children. However, adsorptive granulocyte monocyte/macrophage apheresis (GMA) using Adacolumn® reduces intestinal inflammation through multiple immunomodulatory effects. This case series shows the safety and efficacy of GMA in paediatric UC, illustrating several GMA uses: in chronically active UC, for corticosteroid reduction in steroid-dependent UC, in UC with secondary loss of response to anti-TNF therapy, as bridge therapy in UC with failure of anti-TNF therapy, and to substitute toxic drug treatments.

Readministration of calcineurin inhibitors for ulcerative colitis

BACKGROUND

Calcineurin inhibitors (CNIs) such as cyclosporine and tacrolimus have been shown to be effective for treatment of patients with steroid-dependent or steroid-refractory ulcerative colitis (UC) with moderate to severe activity. However, it has not been determined whether readministration of CNIs is effective in patients who experience relapse after remission induced by CNIs.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the effect of readministration of CNIs in patients who had initially responded to CNIs.

METHODS

A review of the medical records of 46 patients with moderate to severe UC who were treated with a CNI at a single tertiary teaching hospital with 840 beds was conducted. Remission was defined as a clinical activity index (CAI) score of 3 or less within 2 months of starting CNI therapy. Response was defined as a CAI score of 4 or higher but had decreased by half from the start of CNI therapy. Relapse was defined as flare-up of symptoms that required an additional treatment or colectomy.

RESULTS

Of the 46 patients, 37 (80%) achieved clinical remission or response with the initial CNI treatment. Among those 37 patients, 19 experienced relapse (median duration to relapse, 6.4 months), 12 of whom were readministered a CNI. Of the 12 patients, 2 achieved clinical remission, 2 had a response, and the remaining 8 had no response to the CNI. In addition, all patients who responded to CNI readministration experienced relapse within 6 months. CNI readministration was significantly less effective than the initial administration for treatment of UC (80% vs 33%; p = 0.0014).

CONCLUSIONS

Readministration of CNIs for relapse after remission with CNI treatment does not seem to be successful. Alternative therapies such as anti-tumor necrosis factor antibody should be used or colectomy should be considered.