Granulocytapheresis is useful as an alternative therapy in patients with steroid-refractory or -dependent ulcerative colitis

Induction of mucosal healing by intensive granulocyte/monocyte adsorptive apheresis (GMA) without use of corticosteroids in patients with ulcerative colitis: long-term remission maintenance after induction by GMA and efficacy of GMA re-treatment upon relapse

This study examined the long-term maintenance rate after inducing remission by intensive granulocyte/monocyte adsorptive apheresis (GMA) without use of corticosteroids (CS) and GMA re-treatment efficacy in the same patients upon relapse with ulcerative colitis. Patients who achieved clinical remission and mucosal healing (MH) by first-time intensive GMA (first GMA) without CS were enrolled. The cumulative non-relapse survival rate up to week 156 was calculated. Patients with relapse during the maintenance period underwent second-time intensive GMA (second GMA) without CS. Clinical remission and MH rates following second GMA were compared to those following first GMA in the same patients. Of the 84 patients enrolled, 78 were followed until week 156 and 34 demonstrated relapse. The cumulative non-relapse survival rate by week 156 was 56.4%. Clinical remission and MH rates after second GMA did not differ from those after first GMA in the same patients (week 6: clinical remission, 100% vs 88.4%, p = 0.134; MH, 100% vs 84.8%, p = 0.074). In conclusion, MH induction by intensive GMA without use of CS in ulcerative colitis patients contributes to subsequent long-term clinical remission maintenance. GMA re-treatment efficacy was comparable to that of first GMA in the same patients who had relapse.

Cytapheresis re-induces high-rate steroid-free remission in patients with steroid-dependent and steroid-refractory ulcerative colitis

BACKGROUND

It is a crucial issue for patients with refractory ulcerative colitis (UC), including steroid-dependent and steroid-refractory patients, to achieve and maintain steroid-free remission. However, clinical studies focused on the achievement of steroid-free remission in refractory UC patients are insufficient. Cytapheresis (CAP) is a non-pharmacological extracorporeal therapy that is effective for active UC with fewer adverse effects. This study comprised UC patients treated with CAP and suggested the efficacy of CAP for refractory UC patients.

AIM

To clarify the efficacy of CAP in achieving steroid-free remission in refractory UC patients.

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed the collected data from 55 patients with refractory UC treated with CAP. We analyzed the following points: (1) Efficacy of the first course of CAP; (2) Efficacy of the second, third, and fourth courses of CAP in patients who experienced relapses during the observation period; (3) Efficacy of CAP in colonic mucosa; and (4) Long-term efficacy of CAP. Clinical efficacy was evaluated using Lichtiger’s clinical activity index or Sutherland index (disease activity index). Mucosal healing was evaluated using Mayo endoscopic subscore. The primary and secondary endpoints were the rate of achievement of steroid-free remission and the rate of sustained steroid-free remission, respectively. Statistical analysis was performed using the paired t-test and chi-squared test.

RESULTS

The rates of clinical remission, steroid-free remission, and poor effectiveness after CAP were 69.1%, 45.5%, and 30.9%, respectively. There were no significant differences in rate of steroid-free remission between patients with steroid-dependent and steroid-refractory UC. The mean disease activity index and Lichtiger’s clinical activity index scores were significantly decreased after CAP (P < 0.0001). The rates of steroid-free remission after the second, third, and fourth courses of CAP in patients who achieved steroid-free remission after the first course of CAP were 83.3%, 83.3%, and 60%, respectively. Mucosal healing was observed in all patients who achieved steroid-free remission after the first course of CAP. The rates of sustained steroid-free remission were 68.0%, 60.0%, and 56.0% at 12, 24, and 36 mo after the CAP. Nine patients (36%) had maintained steroid-free remission throughout the observation period.

CONCLUSION

Our results suggest that CAP effectively induces and maintains steroid-free remission in refractory UC and re-induces steroid-free remission in patients achieving steroid-free remission after the first course of CAP.

Factors associated with the outcomes in ulcerative colitis patients undergoing granulocyte and monocyte adsorptive apheresis as remission induction therapy: A multicenter cohort study

Ulcerative colitis (UC) patients harbor activated myeloid leukocytes, which exacerbate and perpetuate UC by releasing inflammatory cytokines. Granulocyte and monocyte adsorptive apheresis (GMA) with an Adacolumn depletes elevated myeloid leukocytes, inducing efficacy with favorable safety. To understand how the clinical outcome with GMA is affected by prior corticosteroid treatment or concomitant immunomodulators, a retrospective multicenter study in 102 UC patients, who had not responded well to first-line medications was undertaken. The remission rates after a course of GMA therapy were significantly higher in corticosteroid-naïve patients compared with those with prior corticosteroid exposure. Absence of corticosteroid background was an independent predictive factor of response to GMA. Further, in corticosteroid-naïve patients, the 1-year cumulative sustained remission rate in patients who did not receive immunomodulators was significantly higher than in patients who received immunomodulators. Accordingly, multivariate analysis revealed that immunomodulator was associated with higher risk of relapse. In conclusion, GMA was an effective treatment for corticosteroid-naïve patients and the efficacy sustained longer in those not receiving immunomodulators during GMA. GMA fulfills the notion that apheresis is to induce disease remission by removing from the body factors known to perpetuate disease. In therapeutic settings, these findings should help better decision making and avoid futile use of medical resources.

Efficacy of apheresis as maintenance therapy for patients with ulcerative colitis in an open-label prospective multicenter randomised controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Apheresis therapy involves the selective removal of leukocytes and is used to induce remission in ulcerative colitis (UC) patients. The aim of this study was to demonstrate the efficacy and safety of apheresis therapy for maintaining UC remission.

METHODS

We conducted a multicenter, prospective, randomised-control trial of patients with remitting UC induced by granulocyte and monocyte adsorption apheresis or leukocytapheresis. Patients were randomly assigned to the apheresis group (twice per month for 12 months) or the control group (no apheresis treatment) using a 1:1 allocation ratio. The primary endpoint was the rate of cumulative clinical remission (Mayo score ≤ 2) at 12 months. The secondary endpoints were the rates of clinical remission, endoscopic remission, and complete endoscopic remission at 12 months.

RESULTS

Between March 2013 and March 2017, 164 patients were enrolled. The cumulative remission rate at 12 months was 46.6% in the apheresis group and 36.4% in the control group (p = 0.1621). The rate of endoscopic remission at 12 months was significantly higher in the apheresis group than in the control group (42.5% vs. 25.9%) p = 0.0480). The rate of clinical remission (47.5% vs.32.1%, p = 0.0540) and complete endoscopic remission (33.8% vs.19.8%, p = 0.0513) tended to be higher in the apheresis than in the control group; however, the difference was not significant. No severe adverse events were observed in either group.

CONCLUSIONS

Apheresis was well tolerated as maintenance therapy for UC although the cumulative clinical remission rate at 12 months was comparable between the apheresis and control groups.

Treatment with indigo naturalis for inflammatory bowel disease and other immune diseases

Indigo naturalis (IN) is a herbal medicine extracted from leaves and stems of plants and is a component of crude drugs used in China. Recently, IN was reported to be effective for treating (UC) and psoriasis. The mechanisms of IN for UC is not clear, but aryl hydrocarbon receptor ligand, the active components of IN, can promote mucosal healing by inducing the production of interleukin-22 from type-3 innate lymphocytes cells. Although IN is effective even for refractory cases, critical adverse effects including IN-induced colitis and pulmonary arterial hypertension should be concerned. Due to adverse effects of IN, topical treatment of IN is useful for distal UC as well as psoriasis to secure patients' safeties. Many refractory patients may be helped by IN if it becomes available in appropriate forms for clinical practice. In the near future, the mechanism that underlies the adverse effects of IN needs to be determined, and extraction of active ingredients with fewer side effects, investigated.

How Glucocorticoids Affect the Neutrophil Life

Glucocorticoids are hormones that regulate several functions in living organisms and synthetic glucocorticoids are the most powerful anti-inflammatory pharmacological tool that is currently available. Although glucocorticoids have an immunosuppressive effect on immune cells, they exert multiple and sometimes contradictory effects on neutrophils. From being extremely sensitive to the anti-inflammatory effects of glucocorticoids to resisting glucocorticoid-induced apoptosis, neutrophils are proving to be more complex than they were earlier thought to be. The aim of this review is to explain these complex pathways by which neutrophils respond to endogenous or to exogenous glucocorticoids, both under physiological and pathological conditions.

Long-interval Cytapheresis as a Novel Therapeutic Strategy Leading to Dosage Reduction and Discontinuation of Steroids in Steroid-dependent Ulcerative Colitis

Objective This study was performed to confirm the efficacy of long-interval cytapheresis on steroid-dependent ulcerative colitis (UC). Methods To discontinue steroids in patients with steroid-dependent UC, we previously designed a novel regimen of cytapheresis (CAP), which we termed "long-interval cytapheresis (LI-CAP)", in which CAP was performed as one session every two or three weeks and continued during the whole period of tapering steroid dosage. In this study, we performed LI-CAP therapy 20 times (11 male and 9 female; mean age 41.8 years) between April 2010 and April 2015 for 14 patients with steroid-dependent UC. We evaluated the effectiveness of LI-CAP by examining the improvement in Lichtiger's clinical activity index (CAI), the rate of clinical remission, and the rate of steroid discontinuation. We further examined the rate of sustained steroid-free clinical remission at 6 and 12 months after LI-CAP in patients who successfully discontinued steroid-use after LI-CAP. The primary endpoint was the rate of discontinuation of steroids after LI-CAP. Results The mean CAI score before LI-CAP (7.550) significantly decreased to 1.65 after LI-CAP (p<0.0001). The rate of clinical remission after LI-CAP was 80%. The rate of steroid discontinuation after LI-CAP was 60.0%. The mean dose of daily prednisolone was significantly decreased after LI-CAP (2.30 mg) compared with that before therapy (17.30 mg) (p=0.0003). The rate of sustained steroid-free clinical remission after LI-CAP was 66.7% at 6 months and 66.7% at 12 months. Conclusion We confirmed that LI-CAP has therapeutic effects on reducing the dosage and discontinuing steroids in patients with steroid-dependent UC.

Efficacy of a Novel Granulocyte Monocyte Apheresis Adsorber Device in the Treatment of Inflammatory Bowel Diseases: A Pilot Study

Granulocyte monocyte apheresis (GMA) is a non-pharmacological treatment for inflammatory bowel disease. In our study, we tested a novel GMA adsorber device in terms of clinical efficacy and safety in patients' non-response to pharmacological therapy. Secondary outcomes were the evaluation of adsorber's technical performance, the reduction of inflammatory markers and the improvement of patients' life quality. The prospective study included 18 patients enrolled from 2011 to 2012 with a monitoring of 48 weeks. All patients with Crohn's disease achieved a clinical remission after GMA treatments, sustained until the end of follow up, while 80% of ulcerative colitis patients obtained a clinical benefit, maintained after 48 weeks of monitoring. Leukocytes, neutrophils, monocytes and platelets, compared to erythrocytes and lymphocytes, were effectively removed from peripheral blood. There was no statistically significant result about serological markers of inflammation. A consistent improvement of the patients' quality of life was observed up to the end of follow up. No significant side-effects were recorded. Our study underlines the efficacy and the safety of this novel GMA adsorber device; a prospective randomized clinical trial with adequate sample size should be performed.

Faecal lactoferrin is a useful biomarker for mucosal healing in patients with ulcerative colitis during granulocyte and monocyte adsorptive apheresis therapy

AIM

The study investigated the value of faecal lactoferrin as a follow-up biomarker for mucosal healing of ulcerative colitis during granulocyte and monocyte adsorptive apheresis (GMA) therapy.

METHOD

Patients with ulcerative colitis exhibiting a moderate or severe disease activity with a partial Mayo Score (pMS) of over 4 were enrolled in this study. The patients received 10 courses of GMA therapy. The pMS value and faecal lactoferrin level were monitored and compared with the findings of endoscopy until 12 months after the last dose of GMA therapy.

RESULTS

Twenty patients (male:female 11:9) were enrolled in this study. Twelve had total colitis, while six had left-sided involvement and two had distal proctitis. Thirteen (65.0%) responded to GMA therapy. The faecal lactoferrin levels were significantly decreased in patients who responded to GMA therapy (P < 0.05), whereas the levels did not change in non-responders. Moreover, the faecal lactoferrin levels correlated with the endoscopic findings (r = 0.792, P < 0.01) and pMS scores (r = 0.529, P < 0.01). The correlation coefficients between the faecal lactoferrin levels and mucosal findings were higher than those observed between the pMS score and mucosal findings.

CONCLUSION

The faecal lactoferrin level is a useful biomarker of the mucosal findings in ulcerative colitis. Although endoscopy is the gold standard, the faecal lactoferrin level can be used as a biomarker during GMA therapy in patients with ulcerative colitis.

Computer-Aided Prediction of Long-Term Prognosis of Patients with Ulcerative Colitis after Cytoapheresis Therapy

Cytoapheresis (CAP) therapy is widely used in ulcerative colitis (UC) patients with moderate to severe activity in Japan. The aim of this study is to predict the need of operation after CAP therapy of UC patients on an individual level using an artificial neural network system (ANN). Ninety UC patients with moderate to severe activity were treated with CAP. Data on the patients' demographics, medication, clinical activity index (CAI) and efficacy of CAP were collected. Clinical data were divided into training data group and validation data group and analyzed using ANN to predict individual outcomes. The sensitivity and specificity of predictive expression by ANN were 0.96 and 0.97, respectively. Events of admission, operation, and use of immunomodulator, and efficacy of CAP were significantly correlated to the outcome. Requirement of operation after CAP therapy was successfully predicted by using ANN. This newly established ANN strategy would be used as powerful support of physicians in the clinical practice.

Granulocytapheresis in steroid-dependent and steroid-resistant patients with inflammatory bowel disease: a prospective observational study

BACKGROUND

Despite the mounting importance of granulocytapheresis (GCAP) for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) treatment, its effectiveness in steroid-dependent (SD) and steroid-resistant (SR) patients has not been clearly evaluated. This prospective observational study describes the use of GCAP in SD and SR patients with either Ulcerative Colitis (UC) or Crohn's Disease (CD).

METHODS

118 patients, 83 affected by UC (55 SD and 28 SR) and 35 by CD (22 SD and 13 SR), were treated with GCAP, using Adacolumn™, for 5 consecutive weeks, 1 session/week. All patients were followed for 12 months after the end of GCAP. Clinical remission was defined as Clinical Activity Index (CAI) ≤6 for UC patients and Crohn's Disease Activity Index (CDAI) <150 for CD patients.

RESULTS

All patients completed the study; no major complications were reported. At the end of GCAP 71% of UC and 63% of CD patients showed clinical remission. At 6 months the remission was maintained by 66% and 54% of UC and CD patients respectively, while at 12 months the percentages were 48% and 43%, respectively. No differences between SD and SR subgroups were reported at any timepoint. CAI and CDAI values significantly dropped after GCAP treatment and at 6 and 12 months' follow-up (p<0.05 vs baseline for both timepoints). No differences were measured in CAI and CDAI between SD and SR patients.

CONCLUSION

GCAP therapy is safe and effective in inducing and maintaining clinical remission both in SD and in SR patients affected by either UC or CD.

Effects of preoperative leukocytapheresis on inflammatory cytokines following surgery for ulcerative colitis: a prospective randomized study

Targeted extracorporeal granulocyte and monocyte apheresis (GMA) has produced clinical efficacy together with down modulation of specific inflammatory cytokines in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC). This study was to investigate if preoperative GMA produces immunological effect on dysregulated immune activity after restorative proctocolectomy (RPC) in patients with UC. Forty patients requiring RPC were included. Twenty randomly selected patients received five GMA sessions with the Adacolumn over two consecutive weeks before RPC (GMA group). RPC was performed within 2 weeks following the last GMA session. The other 20 patients did not receive GMA before RPC (non-GMA group). Blood samples were obtained immediately before surgery, at 1 h after surgery, and on postoperative Days 1, 3, and 7 from all patients. Abdominal exudate was obtained from the drainage tube at 1 h after surgery, and on postoperative Days 1, 3, and 7. Concentrations of interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α in plasma and peritoneal fluid from a drainage tube were measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. Between the two groups, patients were matched with respect to age, sex, UC duration, severity, extent and the dose of prednisolone at surgery. IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α levels in plasma and peritoneal fluid were not significantly different between the two groups during the entire study period. Based on the assays of IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α levels in the plasma and the peritoneal fluid, this study did not find any effect on these inflammatory cytokines by preoperative GMA in patients with UC who underwent RPC.

The effect of granulocyte and monocyte adsorptive apheresis on serum cytokine levels in patients with ulcerative colitis

Granulocyte and monocyte adsorptive apheresis (GMA) with an Adacolumn has been reported to be effective as induction therapy in ulcerative colitis (UC). However, the effects of GMA on serial changes in cytokine levels have not been well characterized. We therefore, investigated cytokine levels in UC patients before and after treatment with GMA. A total of 16 patients with active UC, 10 men, and six women, mean age, 42.6 years were included. Fourteen patients had total colitis and two patients had left-sided colitis. The study included nine patients with a chronic intermittent course, six with a chronic continuous course and one with a single episode. The duration of each GMA session was 60 min at a flow rate of 30 mL/min as per study protocol. Serum levels of 17 cytokines were determined simultaneously using a Bio-Plex suspension array system before and after treatment with GMA. Serum interleukin (IL)-10 and macrophage inflammatory protein-1β levels were increased significantly in UC patients after GMA treatment compared to pre-treatment levels (P < 0.05). In particular, GMA treatment caused a significant increase in serum IL-10 levels compared to pre-treatment in patients with total colitis or with a chronic intermittent UC course. In conclusion, this investigation showed that GMA was associated with a marked increase in serum level of the anti-inflammatory cytokine, IL-10. The rise in circulating IL-10 is interesting, and potentially a significant factor in the efficacy of GMA in patients with inflammatory bowel diseases.

Long-term prognosis of patients with ulcerative colitis treated with cytapheresis therapy

BACKGROUND

Although accumulating studies in Japan show that cytapheresis (CAP) therapy is safe and effective for the induction of remission of moderate or severe ulcerative colitis (UC), the long-term prognosis of UC patients treated with CAP is unknown. The aim of this study was to determine the long-term prognosis of UC patients treated with CAP.

METHODS

Ninety patients treated previously with CAP and followed for more than 3 years were evaluated. The rates of operation, readmission, and use or dose-up of corticosteroid were analyzed as long-term prognosis.

RESULTS

Following the first course of CAP treatment, 64% of patients showed clinical improvement (> 4-point decrease in the clinical activity index (CAI)), and 49% of patients achieved clinical remission (CAI ≤ 4). Longer disease duration and lower age at the first CAP treatment correlated significantly with the therapeutic effects of CAP (p = 0.003 and 0.035, respectively). The rates of operation and readmission were significantly lower in patients who showed previous clinical effects of CAP than in those who did not respond to CAP. The rates of operation and readmission were also significantly lower in patients whose treatment was combined with immunomodulators after the initiation of CAP than in patients who did not use immunomodulators. Importantly, the second course of CAP was also effective in most of the patients who showed a clinical response to the first CAP.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients who achieve remission after the first CAP therapy may have a good long-term prognosis and a good response to a second CAP therapy even after relapse.

Looking for predictive factors of clinical response to adsorptive granulocyte and monocyte apheresis in patients with ulcerative colitis: markers of response to GMA

BACKGROUND

Adsorptive granulocyte and monocyte apheresis (GMA) with an Adacolumn in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) has been applied as a non-pharmacological treatment strategy, but the efficacy has been encouraging as well as discouraging, depending on patients' demography at entry. In this study, we looked for predictive factors for clinical response to GMA in patients with UC.

METHODS

In a retrospective setting, 43 outpatients who had been treated with GMA for active UC were evaluated. Patients were divided into remission group and non-remission group based on Lichtiger's clinical activity index (CAI) before and after 10, once a week GMA sessions. The efficacy was analysed in relation to patients' demographic variables. To determine predictive factors that closely related to the response to GMA, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, and multiple logistic regression analyses were applied.

RESULTS

After 10 GMA sessions, the overall clinical remission rate (CAI < 4) was 53.5%. Multiple logistic regression and ROC analyses showed that the interval between relapse and the first GMA session was a significant and independent predictive factor for clinical response to GMA (P = 0.016); the clinical response was better in patients who received GMA immediately after a relapse and vice versa. Likewise, univariate analyses showed that, the duration of UC (P = 0.036) and the cumulative prednisolone (PSL) dose (P = 0.006) before the first GMA session were significantly greater in the GMA non-responder group as compared with the responder group. Additionally, a lower white blood cell (WBC) count at first GMA session was related to clinical response to GMA (P = 0.032).

CONCLUSIONS

In this study, patients with a short duration of UC and low cumulative PSL dose seemed to respond well to GMA. However, we found that the best responders were patients who received GMA immediately after a clinical relapse. Additionally, GMA was effective in patients with low WBC count at the first GMA session. The findings of this study should spare medical cost and reduce morbidity time for many patients, relevant for decision making in clinical settings.

Factors affecting short- and long-term effects of leukocyte removal therapy in active ulcerative colitis

BACKGROUND AND AIM

Leukocyte removal therapy (LRT) is recognized as an effective treatment for active ulcerative colitis (UC). In this study, factors associated with the efficacy and long-term effects of LRT were evaluated.

METHODS

From April 1998 to March 2010, 98 patients with moderate to severe UC were randomly assigned to granulocyte and monocyte/macrophage adsorptive apheresis (GMA) (n = 47) or leukocytapheresis (LCAP) (n = 51) treatment. Patients received two sessions of LRT in the first week, followed by three weekly administrations. All patients were treated with 5-aminosalicylic acid and corticosteroid. Steroid doses were tapered if patients achieved clinical improvement. Clinical remission was defined as a decrease in clinical activity index to < 4 and endoscopic findings to Matts' grade 1 or 2. When clinical activity index decreased but still remained ≥ 5 and Matts' grading was 1 or 2, the patient was considered to have improved. Patients were observed for at least 1 year and diagnosed as relapsed when additional treatment was required.

RESULTS

Seventy-one (73%) patients achieved clinical remission or improvement. No significant difference was found between LCAP and GMA. Increased age, ≥ 3 attacks of UC, and ≥ 2 sessions of LRT were indicative of refractoriness to LRT. During 1 year observation, 28 patients were relapsed. Duration of UC, ≥ 3 attacks of UC, and ≥ 2 sessions of LRT were indicative of refractoriness to the long-term effects of LRT.

CONCLUSION

Both GMA and LCAP were effective to treat active UC. However, long duration of UC, multiple UC attacks, and past history of LRT reduce the efficacy.

Therapeutic landscape for ulcerative colitis: where is the Adacolumn(®) system and where should it be?

Granulocyte-monocyte apheresis is a relatively new therapy that has been proposed, sometimes with controversial results, for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease, particularly ulcerative colitis. The aim of the present study was to perform a thorough review of the literature on the application of this type of treatment in ulcerative colitis and discuss the results, in order to provide an opinion on its use which is shared by the involved experts. The review of the literature was performed by searching PubMed with appropriate key words. The results obtained suggest that the major role for this treatment at this moment is for those patients with steroid dependency or with major contraindications to use of steroids. However, promising, albeit very preliminary, results have also been observed in steroid-naïve subjects, and this is of particular interest in consideration of the safety profile of this therapeutic method. As such, the Adacolumn may prove useful in specific subgroups of patients. Future phenotypic, genotypic, and molecular characterization of patients with inflammatory bowel disease might prove useful in defining better those subjects who might benefit most from this treatment modality.

Steroid-sparing strategies in the management of ulcerative colitis: Efficacy of leukocytapheresis

Active ulcerative colitis (UC) is frequently associated with infiltration of a large number of leukocytes into the bowel mucosa. Leukocytapheresis is a novel nonpharmacologic approach for active UC, in which leukocytes are mechanically removed from the circulatory system. Current data indicate that leukocytapheresis is efficacious in improving response and remission rates with excellent tolerability and safety in patients with UC. Corticosteroid therapy remains a mainstay in the treatment of active UC; however, long-term, high doses of corticosteroids usually produce predictable and potentially serious side effects. If leukocytapheresis can spare patients from exposure to corticosteroids, the risk of steroid-induced adverse events should be minimized. This may be of great benefit to patients because severe side effects of steroids seriously impair health-related quality of life. In this article, we reviewed current evidence on whether leukocytapheresis can avoid or reduce the use of corticosteroids in the management of patients with UC. Several studies have shown that leukocytapheresis was effective for steroid-naïve patients with active UC. Furthermore, both short-term and long-term studies have demonstrated the steroid-sparing effects of leukocytapheresis therapy in patients with UC. Although the evidence level is not striking, the available data suggest that leukocytapheresis can avoid or reduce the use of corticosteroids in the management of UC. Large, well-designed clinical trials are necessary to more accurately evaluate the steroid-sparing effects of leukocytapheresis in the management of UC.

Long-term clinical impact of early introduction of granulocyte and monocyte adsorptive apheresis in new onset, moderately active, extensive ulcerative colitis

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

The efficacy of granulocyte and monocyte adsorptive apheresis (GMA) for patients with a first episode of ulcerative colitis (UC) has been scarcely reported. This study was to see if the introduction of GMA at an early stage reduces corticosteroid administration and steroid dependency in the long term clinical course of UC.

METHODS

Forty consecutive patients with moderately active symptoms as the first attack of UC were included. Twenty patients were treated with GMA, with or without corticosteroids (GMA group), and the other 20 were given corticosteroids without GMA (steroid group). All patients were monitored for 5 years. Relapses were treated in the same manner as the first attack in both groups. The total dose of steroid administered and the appearance of steroid-dependency were to be compared between the two groups.

RESULTS

All patients in both groups achieved clinical remission after the first attack. The mean number of relapses per patient was 2.8 in the GMA group and 2.9 in the steroid group (P=0.86). During this study, 5 patients in the GMA group did not require corticosteroids. The mean dose of steroid administered during the 5 years was 2141 mg in the GMA group vs 5443 mg in the steroid group (P=0.002). One patient in the GMA group and 7 in the steroid group were steroid-dependent at the end of the study (P=0.048).

CONCLUSIONS

In patients with the first UC episode, GMA therapy at an early stage significantly reduces steroid administration and steroid-dependency in the long-term clinical course.

Current status and future perspectives of leukocytapheresis for inflammatory bowel disease

Ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD) comprise the idiopathic inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) of the gut. The etiology of IBD is poorly understood, but an autoimmune disturbance has been suggested to play an important role in this incurable disease. Extracorporeal leukocytapheresis (CAP) is an additional adjunct for IBD patients refractory to other conventional therapies, including steroids. The primary aim of CAP should be to suppress such unwanted immunological response by removing circulating inflammatory cells from the blood stream. The first decade has been passed since CAP was approved by Japanese social health insurance policy. It is therefore now an appropriate opportunity to upgrade and summarize our current understandings and/or future perspectives of this unique non-pharmacological and non-surgical strategy for IBD patients. According to several clinical and basic research reports, an early introduction of CAP should produce higher efficacy as compared with CAP applied sometime after a clinical relapse. Likewise, CAP therapy adjusted to patients' body-weight as well as two treatment sessions per week (intensive regimen) should benefit the efficacy rate. The etiology of IBD is not fully elucidated yet. As a result, the major therapeutic strategies in the Western world have been immunosuppressive therapy, including biologics. CAP is an unusual treatment modality for IBD because it seems to have both effectiveness and safety, which should generally be balanced in this type of illness. We now have to develop future strategies with and without combining biologics to improve the quality of life of IBD patients.

Intermittent granulocyte and monocyte apheresis versus mercaptopurine for maintaining remission of ulcerative colitis: a pilot study

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 2 weeks) 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 (0.5 mg/kg per day; N = 11). The study period was 24 months. The rate of the patients maintaining remission and the incidences of adverse effects were compared between the two groups. At 24 months, 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.

Processed blood volume impacts clinical efficacy in patients with ulcerative colitis undergoing adsorptive depletion of myeloid lineage leucocytes

BACKGROUND

Hitherto, therapeutic depletion of granulocytes and monocytes by adsorption (GMA) has been associated with significant and insignificant efficacy in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC). Further, the processed blood volume in one GMA session has been fixed at 30 mL/min × 60 min, regardless of patients' body weight (BW). We were interested to see the efficacy and safety of GMA when administered in relation to patients' BW.

METHODS

Sixty patients were randomly assigned to the routine GMA (n = 30) and to GMA adjusted to patients' BW, 60 mL/kg (n = 30). GMA was done with the Adacolumn, up to 10 sessions over 10 weeks. At entry and 1 week post last GMA, patients were clinically and endoscopically evaluated. Remission was defined as clinical activity index (CAI) ≤4, whereas mucosal remission was defined as endoscopic index (EI) ≤3.

RESULTS

In the BW group, the processed volume/session was 3,260 ± 581 versus 1,800 mL in the routine group (P < 0.001). In the BW group, 25 of 30 patients (83.3%) achieved remission versus 19 of 30 patients (63.3%) in the routine group. The average CAI in the BW group fell from 9.6 ± 2.6 to 2.3 ± 2.1 versus from 9.1 ± 2.4 to 4.0 ± 2.1 (P < 0.05) in the routine group. Similarly, the EI in the BW group fell from 9.4 ± 1.3 to 2.1 ± 2.1 versus from 9.2 ± 1.8 to 4.5 ± 2.3 (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

GMA adjusted to patients' BW and at a vastly greater processed volume produces significantly higher efficacy as compared with the routine GMA protocol. Further, in this study, up to twofold higher processed volume caused no safety concern.

Daily granulocyte and monocyte adsorptive apheresis in patients with active ulcerative colitis: a prospective safety and feasibility study

BACKGROUND

This prospective study was to assess the safety and feasibility of daily granulocyte and monocyte adsorptive apheresis (GMA) therapy in patients with active ulcerative colitis (UC).

METHODS

Thirty consecutive patients with moderately or severely active UC received daily GMA treatment (5 sessions over 5 consecutive days) with the Adacolumn. Adverse events (AE), patient tolerability, and clinical symptoms were monitored daily.

RESULTS

Sixteen patients (53%) experienced AE during at least one GMA session. The most frequent AE was mild headache followed by fatigue and fever. None of the AE was serious, and all patients completed the 5 consecutive GMA sessions. Clinical symptoms (stool frequency and/or rectal bleeding) were improved in 21 patients (70%) during the course of GMA therapy. Clinical remission defined as normal stool frequency and no rectal bleeding was achieved in 7 patients (23%) after 5 GMA sessions. Seven of 20 patients (35%) with moderately active disease achieved clinical remission, whereas none of the 10 patients with severely active disease achieved clinical remission. Total and differential leukocyte counts, platelet count, and hemoglobin level did not significantly change, but C-reactive protein level significantly decreased during the course of GMA therapy.

CONCLUSIONS

This is the first report on daily GMA in the treatment of patients with UC. Daily GMA was safe and well tolerated without serious AE. Furthermore, daily GMA was associated with rapid improvement of clinical symptoms in patients with moderately active UC. However, controlled trials are warranted to assess a definite efficacy for daily GMA therapy.

Predictive factors of clinical response in steroid-refractory ulcerative colitis treated with granulocyte-monocyte apheresis

AIM: To identify factors predicting the clinical response of ulcerative colitis patients to granulocyte-monocyte apheresis (GMA).

METHODS: Sixty-nine ulcerative colitis patients (39 F, 30 M) dependent upon/refractory to steroids were treated with GMA. Steroid dependency, clinical activity index (CAI), C reactive protein (CRP) level, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), values at baseline, use of immunosuppressant, duration of disease, and age and extent of disease were considered for statistical analysis as predictive factors of clinical response. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression models were used.

RESULTS: In the univariate analysis, CAI (P = 0.039) and ESR (P = 0.017) levels at baseline were singled out as predictive of clinical remission. In the multivariate analysis steroid dependency [Odds ratio (OR) = 0.390, 95% Confidence interval (CI): 0.176-0.865, Wald 5.361, P = 0.0160] and low CAI levels at baseline (4 < CAI < 7) (OR = 0.770, 95% CI: 0.425-1.394, Wald 3.747, P = 0.028) proved to be effective as factors predicting clinical response.

CONCLUSION: GMA may be a valid therapeutic option for steroid-dependent ulcerative colitis patients with mild-moderate disease and its clinical efficacy seems to persist for 12 mo.

The use of traditional and newer calcineurin inhibitors in inflammatory bowel disease

BACKGROUND

Intravenous cyclosporine A (CsA) is an effective treatment for patients with severe, steroid-refractory ulcerative colitis (UC). Like the response to CsA, clinical trials have shown that two-thirds of patients with refractory UC respond to tacrolimus therapy. However, it is unclear how/when this agent should be used for patients with active UC.

METHODS

We reviewed the results of previous studies regarding calcineurin inhibitors in UC patients. We examined the best way to use tacrolimus to obtain maximum efficacy by comparing the results from clinical trials with those from a recent survey in Japan.

RESULTS

Calcineurin inhibitors are useful to induce remission in patients with refractory UC; however, the long-term prognosis has not been shown to be improved by CsA. Early intervention with CsA/tacrolimus may improve the long-term prognosis of UC patients just as infliximab does for Crohn's disease patients. Recent studies have indicated that a fasting state and administration of a higher dosage of tacrolimus at the beginning of therapy are critical in ensuring that the target trough concentration of the agent is reached.

CONCLUSIONS

The use of higher initial doses of tacrolimus ensured that patients achieved their target levels. Further studies will be needed to elucidate the efficacy of top-down therapy with tacrolimus in patients with UC. Physicians must know how to use calcineurin inhibitors to obtain maximum efficacy.

Review article: the role of non-biological drugs in refractory inflammatory bowel disease

BACKGROUND

Up to one-third of patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) do not respond to, or are intolerant of conventional immunosuppressive drugs. Although biological agents are alternative treatments, they may not be suitable or available to some patients.

AIM

To review the evidence for use of nonbiological drugs in the treatment of patients with IBD refractory to corticosteroids or thiopurines.

METHODS

A literature search was performed using PubMed for English language publications with predetermined search criteria to identify relevant studies.

RESULTS

Published evidence from uncontrolled series and controlled clinical trials has been used to produce a practical approach relevant to clinical practice which incorporates the indication, optimal dose, and side effects of various therapies including tacrolimus, methotrexate, thalidomide, tioguanine, mycophenolate mofotil, leucocyte apheresis, nutritional therapy, antibiotics, probiotics, allopurinol, rectal acetarsol and ciclosporin in the treatment of patients with refractory ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. Approaches to optimise thiopurine efficacy are also discussed.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with IBD refractory to corticosteroids or thiopurines may respond to alternative anti-inflammatory chemical molecules, but the evidence base for many of these alternatives is limited and further trials are needed.

Tumor necrosis factor-α-secreting CD16+ antigen presenting cells are effectively removed by granulocytapheresis in ulcerative colitis patients

BACKGROUND AND AIM

In human blood, two main subsets of antigen-presenting-cells (APCs) have been described: plasmocytoid dendritic cells (pDC) and myeloid dendritic cells (mDC) which are further subdivided in CD11c-mDC and CD16-mDC DC. In ulcerative colitis patients (UC) peripheral blood APCs express significant levels of the activation and lack immature-tolerogeneic APCs. Adacolumn selective granulocytapheresis (GCAP) has been associated with clinical efficacy in patients with UC. In the present study we sought the effect of sequential GCAP procedures in peripheral blood APCs in patients with UC and the effect on soluble cytokines.

METHODS

We used multiparametric flow cytometry to quantify peripheral blood APCs and serum cytokines in 210 samples obtained from seven patients with steroid-dependent or steroid resistant UC undergoing GCAP treatment. Samples were drawn before, after 30 and 60 min of each session.

RESULTS

Each GCAP session resulted in a dramatic tenfold reduction of peripheral blood CD16-mDC (P < 0.01), pDC decreased twofold (P = 0.05) but CD11c-mDC remained unchanged. This depletion was reached after 30 min and maintained at 60 min. The depletion of CD16-mDC and monocytes was associated with a reduction of serum tumor necrosis factor levels and a raise in interleukin-10 levels, although no statistical difference was reached.

CONCLUSION

The effect of GCAP in peripheral blood APC consisted mainly on a significant depletion of tumor necrosis factor-α secreting CD16-mDC. This finding could suggest a potential mechanism of GCAP beneficial effect that must be confirmed in larger series.

Mucosal healing in patients with ulcerative colitis during a course of selective leukocytapheresis therapy: a prospective cohort study

BACKGROUND

During active ulcerative colitis (UC), vast numbers of granulocytes, monocytes/macrophages (GM) infiltrate the mucosal tissue and can potentially exacerbate inflammation and injury. Accordingly, we were interested to see if selective depletion of GM by adsorption (GMA) impacts mucosal healing (MH) in UC patients.

METHODS

In all, 124 patients with clinically and endoscopically active UC received 5 or 10 GMA sessions at one or two sessions/week. The endoscopic severity of mucosal inflammation at entry and 1 week after the last GMA session were scored as follows: 0 = normal mucosa and inactive disease; 1 = mild inflammation; 2 = moderate inflammation; 3 = severe inflammation. Likewise, a score 0 or 1 at post-GMA course was defined as MH.

RESULTS

At entry the endoscopic severity of the mucosal inflammation was 2 in 100 patients (81%) and 3 in 24 patients (19%). Following the course of GMA, 56 patients (45%) achieved clinical remission (normal stool frequency and no rectal bleeding). Thirty-four of these 56 responders achieved MH; 32 (94%) of the 34 patients with MH had an endoscopic score of 2 (moderate inflammation) at entry. The maintained clinical remission rate was significantly higher in the 34 patients who achieved MH as compared with 22 patients who achieved clinical remission without MH (P = 0.0005).

CONCLUSIONS

MH is achieved more frequently in patients with moderate than with severe endoscopic severity at entry. Further, patients with MH have a reduced risk of future clinical relapse as compared with patients who achieve remission without MH.

Clinical and endoscopic features of responders and non-responders to adsorptive leucocytapheresis: a report based on 120 patients with active ulcerative colitis

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Elevated/activated myeloid leucocytes, like the CD14(+)CD16(+) monocytes are sources of TNF-α, and therefore, selective depletion of these cells by granulocyte/monocyte (GM) adsorption (GMA) should promote remission or enhance drug efficacy. However, studies in ulcerative colitis (UC) reported contrasting efficacy, from an 85% to statistically insignificant level. We investigated patients' demography in responders and non-responders.

METHODS

In 120 UC patients, 61 steroid naive and 59 steroid dependent, we looked for entry clinical or endoscopic features to identify responders (or non-responders) to GMA. Patients received up to an 11 Adacolumn GMA sessions over 12 weeks. Patients were clinically and endoscopically evaluated, allowing each patient to serve as her/his own control. Immunohistochemistry on colonic biopsies was to reveal the impact of GMA on leucocyte infiltration of the mucosa.

RESULTS

Entry average clinical activity index (CAI) was 12.6, 10-16. An 80 of 120 patients responded (CAI≤4); 45 steroid naïve (73.8%) and 35 steroid dependent (59.3%). Over 900 biopsies were processed. Infiltrating leucocytes were overwhelmingly polymorphonuclear and macrophages around and within crypt abscesses. There was a marked reduction of infiltrating leucocytes in responders. Most non-responders had extensive colonic lesions with virtually no mucosal tissue left at the lesions.

CONCLUSIONS

Steroid naïve patients with short duration of UC were the best responders, while patients with deep colonic lesions and extensive loss of the mucosal tissue were non-responders.

Novel endoscopic activity index is useful for choosing treatment in severe active ulcerative colitis patients

AIM

Clinical symptoms are the most important factors used by physicians to evaluate the severity and extent of ulcerative colitis (UC). In this context, colonoscopy is also a useful diagnostic tool. We have recently developed an endoscopic activity index (EAI) to assess the severity of UC. Here, we assess the correlations among the EAI, other endoscopic indices, and clinical scores. The usefulness of the EAI for choosing treatment options, such as intravenous corticosteroid or cyclosporine A (CsA), in severe UC patients was also evaluated.

METHODS

Clinical symptoms and endoscopic finding were evaluated in 396 patients with UC (454 colonoscopies). The EAI was scored using the following six items: ulcer size, ulcer depth, redness, bleeding, edema, and mucus exudates. The patients were also scored using Matts' grade, Rachmilewitz's endoscopic index, and the Lichtiger index.

RESULTS

Our results showed that (1) the EAI scores were closely correlated with those of the Lichtiger index, Matts' grade, and Rachmilewitz's endoscopic index; (2) the EAI scores significantly decreased in patients who responded to treatment, while Matts' grade did not change in some responders treated with intravenous CsA and steroid; (3) patients with a higher EAI (14-16) tended to be refractory to corticosteroid therapy (responders 19%) compared to CsA (77%), while steroid treatment was effective in 58% of patients with EAI scores of 11-13.

CONCLUSIONS

The EAI is equivalent to other endoscopic indices and relatively more useful in choosing a treatment for patients with severe UC.

Adsorptive depletion of alpha4 integrin(hi)- and CX3CR1hi-expressing proinflammatory monocytes in patients with ulcerative colitis

BACKGROUND

Two main functionally distinct monocytes phenotypes are known: the CD14(hi)CD16(-) "classical" and the CD14(+)CD16(+) "proinflammatory" phenotypes. The latter phenotype is elevated in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) and is suspected to have a major role in the immunopathogenesis of UC.

AIM

To selectively deplete circulating proinflammatory CD14(+)CD16(+) monocyte phenotype.

METHODS

Seven corticosteroid-naïve patients with UC (clinical activity index = 8.7 +/- 1.3) and seven healthy subjects were included. In patients with UC, granulocyte/monocyte adsorption (GMA) was done with an Adacolumn that selectively adsorbs leucocytes of the myeloid lineage. Blood from all subjects at baseline and from the patients immediately after the first GMA session was processed. Isolated monocytes were subjected to fluorescence-activated cell sorter analyses.

RESULTS

The seven UC patients achieved remission (CAI <or=4) after 5-10 GMA sessions. GMA induced a strong fall in the ratio (%) of CD14(+)CD16(+) to CD14(hi)CD16(-) monocytes, from 10.0 +/- 1.4 to 3.0 +/- 0.9. Further, expressions of alpha4 integrin (374.8 +/- 26.1 mean fluorescence intensity, MFI) and CX(3)CR1 (49.5 +/- 4.6 MFI) were significantly high on CD14(+)CD16(+)monocytes as compared with on CD14(hi)CD16(-) monocytes (169.2 +/- 17.2 and 33.2 +/- 3.6 MFI, respectively). Additionally, GMA significantly increased the ratio of the CD14(hi)CD16(-)CCR2(low) "immature" monocytes from 3.74 +/- 0.62 to 8.11 +/- 0.56 MFI.

CONCLUSIONS

We found high expressions of alpha4 integrin and CX(3)CR1 on monocytes in patients with active UC, known to promote the extravasation of CD14(+)CD16(+) monocytes into the mucosa. GMA effectively depletes CD14(+)CD16(+) monocytes and concomitantly increases CD14(hi)CD16(-)CCR2(low) "immature" monocytes; thus GMA was associated with the emergence of less inflammatory monocyte phenotype in circulation.

Sustained remission after steroids and leukocytapheresis induced response in steroid-dependent ulcerative colitis: results at 1 year

BACKGROUND

Leukocytapheresis (LAP) could be an alternative treatment for steroid-dependent ulcerative colitis (UC).

AIMS

To assess the duration of response at 1 year after this treatment.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A prospective study in 18 patients with steroid-dependent UC treated with LAP plus steroids after failure or intolerance to immunomodulators. Clinical and endoscopic (Mayo Clinic index) examinations were performed at 1 month after the last apheresis and at 12 months. The clinical, endoscopic remission and the relapse during the 1-year follow-up were evaluated based on standard parameters.

RESULTS

Induction of remission: clinical remission: 10/18 (55%). Partial response: 4. Endoscopic remission: 9 (50%), always accompanied by clinical remission. A significant correlation was observed between clinical remission and endoscopic remission (r(s)=0.894; p< or =0.001). At 1 year: sustained steroid-free clinical remission in 9 (50%), all of whom presented initial endoscopic remission. Remission and relapse before 1 year in 17%. A tendency for sustained remission at 1 year was observed when initial endoscopic remission was achieved.

CONCLUSIONS

Initial remission can be maintained at 1 year in half of the patients without the need for additional steroids. Complete remission and endoscopic mucosal healing is proposed as an objective for achieving a lasting response.

The Asia-Pacific consensus on ulcerative colitis

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is increasing in many parts of the Asia-Pacific region. There is a need to improve the awareness of IBD and develop diagnostic and management recommendations relevant to the region. This evidence-based consensus focuses on the definition, epidemiology and management of ulcerative colitis (UC) in Asia. A multi-disciplinary group developed the consensus statements, reviewed the relevant literature, and voted on them anonymously using the Delphi method. The finalized statements were reviewed to determine the level of consensus, evidence quality and strength of recommendation. Infectious colitis must be excluded prior to diagnosing UC. Typical histology and macroscopic extent of the disease seen in the West is found in the Asia-Pacific region. Ulcerative colitis is increasing in many parts of Asia with gender distribution and age of diagnosis similar to the West. Extra-intestinal manifestations including primary sclerosing cholangitis are rarer than in the West. Clinical stratification of disease severity guides management. In Japan, leukocytapheresis is a treatment option. Access to biologic agents remains limited due to high cost and concern over opportunistic infections. The high endemic rates of hepatitis B virus infection require stringent screening before initiating immune-suppressive agents. Vaccination and prophylactic therapies should be initiated on a case-by-case basis and in accordance with local practice. Colorectal cancer complicates chronic colitis. A recent increase in UC is reported in the Asia-Pacific region. These consensus statements aim to improve the recognition of UC and assist clinicians in its management with particular relevance to the region.

Predicting the clinical response to cytapheresis in steroid-refractory or -dependent ulcerative colitis using contrast-enhanced ultrasonography

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the usefulness of transabdominal ultrasound (US), including contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS), in predicting the response to cytapheresis therapy in patients with steroid-refractory or -dependent ulcerative colitis (UC).

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Between January 2005 and June 2008, 26 consecutive patients with steroid-refractory or -dependent UC were treated with granulocyte and monocyte adsorption apheresis (GCAP) or leukocytapheresis (LCAP) at our institute. The clinical activity of UC was evaluated by patients' C-reactive protein (CRP) levels and clinical activity index (CAI) scores. All patients were evaluated by grey-scale US, power Doppler US (PDUS), and CEUS. In CEUS, the color signal patterns were classified as 1 of 2 patterns. In pattern 1, color signals were partially detected in the bowel wall (excluding muscularis propria, the outer thin layer of the bowel wall), whereas in pattern 2, color signals were detected in the entire bowel wall (excluding muscularis propria). Differences between remission or clinical response (group R) and no response (group N) were ascertained for clinical features, clinical activities, and US findings.

RESULTS

Differences between the two groups were not considered significant for the clinical features, clinical activities, and grey-scale US and PDUS findings. Using CEUS, 4 patients in group R showed pattern 2 (21%), while in group N, all patients showed this pattern, indicating a significant difference between the two groups (p<0.01).

CONCLUSION

CEUS findings may be helpful in predicting the clinical response to cytapheresis for steroid-refractory or -dependent UC.

An open-label prospective randomized multicenter study shows very rapid remission of ulcerative colitis by intensive granulocyte and monocyte adsorptive apheresis as compared with routine weekly treatment

OBJECTIVES

Granulocyte and monocyte adsorptive apheresis (GMA) has shown efficacy in patients with active ulcerative colitis (UC). However, with routine weekly treatment, it may take several weeks to achieve remission, and to date, the efficacy of a more frequent treatment schedule remains unknown. The aim of this study was to assess the clinical efficacy and safety of intensive GMA treatment in patients with active UC.

METHODS

This was an open-label, prospective, randomized multicenter study to compare an intensive, two GMA sessions per week, with the routine, one GMA session per week. A total of 163 patients with mild-to-moderately active UC were randomly assigned to routine weekly treatment or intensive treatment. The maximum number of sessions of GMA permitted was 10. However, when patients achieved remission, GMA was discontinued. Remission rate at the end of the study, time to remission, and adverse events were assessed in both groups.

RESULTS

Of the 163 patients, 149 were available for efficacy analysis as per protocol, 76 were in weekly GMA, and 73 were in intensive GMA. At the end of the study period, clinical remission was achieved in 41 of 76 patients (54.0%) in weekly GMA and in 52 of 73 patients (71.2%) in intensive GMA (P=0.029). The mean time to remission was 28.1+/-16.9 days in the weekly GMA treatment group and 14.9+/-9.5 days in the intensive GMA group (P<0.0001). Intensive GMA was well tolerated without GMA-related serious adverse side effects.

CONCLUSIONS

Intensive GMA in patients with active UC seems to be more efficacious than weekly treatment, and significantly reduced the patients' morbidity time without increasing the incidence of side effects.

Leukocyte apheresis in the management of ulcerative colitis

Ulcerative colitis is a chronic inflammatory disease that affects the colon and rectum. Its pathogenesis is probably multifactorial including the influx of certain cytokines into the colonic mucosa, causing disease activity and relapse. The hypothesis of removing such cytokines from the circulation by leukocytapheresis was implemented to reduce disease activity, maintain remission, and prevent relapse. Many recent reports not only in Japan, but also in the West, have highlighted its beneficial effects in both adult and pediatric patients. Large placebo-controlled studies are needed to confirm the available data in this regard. In this article, we shed some light on the use of leukocyte apheresis in the management of autoimmune diseases, especially ulcerative colitis.

Therapeutic strategies for the management of ulcerative colitis

Induction and maintenance of remission, mucosal healing, the avoidance of surgical intervention, and decreasing the likelihood of cancer developing are the primary therapeutic goals in ulcerative colitis (UC). For the traditional therapies, 5-aminosalicylic acid (including mesalamine), corticosteroids, and thiopurines (azathioprine and mercaptopurine), there are major changes evolving in terms of formulation, patterns of use, and appreciation of long-term benefits and toxicities. The calcineurin inhibitors cyclosporin and tacrolimus, and infliximab, have recently defined, well-established roles. Preliminary supportive evidence is emerging in relation to novel antiinflammatory molecules such as curcumin, manipulation of the bacterial flora, enhancement of the mucosal barrier, and direct epithelial restoration. For patients in whom the disease is resistant to standard simple therapies, strategies are required to integrate these developing and new therapies into clinical practice. This review aims to highlight the evidence supporting new patterns of use of existing therapies and new therapies, and to devise therapeutic pathways that incorporate these new treatments. We propose how treatment might be optimized to improve the outcome in patients with mild-to-moderately active UC, chronic active UC, resistant proctitis, and fulminant UC.

Quantitive cytokine mRNA expression profiles in the colonic mucosa of patients with steroid naïve ulcerative colitis during active and quiescent disease

BACKGROUND

Cytokines have validated roles in the immunopathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). This study was to investigate the expressions of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8, and IL-10 mRNAs in the colonic mucosa of patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) during active and quiescent UC.

METHODS

At colonoscopy, biopsies were taken from inflamed and non-inflamed mucosa of patients with steroid-naive UC (n = 15), non-IBD inflammatory colitis controls (ICC, n = 6), and non-colitis controls (NCC, n = 14). The presence of extensive mononuclear cells and neutrophils infiltrate in the lamina propria, cryptitis, and epithelial damage defined an inflammatory lesion in the mucosa. Quantitative cytokine mRNA expressions in biopsies were measured by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR).

RESULTS

Of 15 UC patients, 3 remitted with 5-aminosalicylate and 11 received granulocytapheresis; of these, 10 remitted. At baseline, IL-6, IL-8, TNF-alpha, and IL-10 mRNAs were high in inflamed mucosa compared with NCC (P < 0.01). In active UC, IL-6, IL-8 and IL-10 mRNAs were high compared with non-inflamed mucosa (P = 0.03, P = 0.03, P < 0.05, respectively). Both TNF-alpha mRNA (P = 0.03) and IL-6 mRNA (P = 0.04) were higher in UC compared with ICC. Even in non-inflamed mucosa, IL-8 and TNF-alpha mRNA expressions were high compared with NCC. Both IL-6 and IL-8 mRNAs decreased to normal levels after granulocytapheresis.

CONCLUSIONS

During active UC, all 4 cytokine mRNA levels were high; only IL-6 and IL-8 mRNAs decreased to normal levels during remission. IL-8 mRNA was high even at sites of endoscopically quiescent UC during active disease. Steroid naïve patients respond well to granulocytapheresis.

Granulocytapheresis in the treatment of patients with active ulcerative colitis

In recent years, considering the role of inflammatory processes and the involvement of the immune system in ulcerative colitis, granulocytapheresis, a technique for removing circulating leukocytes and preventing their migration into the intestinal mucosa, has been proposed for the treatment of acute ulcerative colitis. Initially introduced for the treatment of patients who did not respond to conventional therapy only, this new therapy may become a useful and safe method to induce clinical remission in patients with acute disease. This article will review the clinical applications and issues concerning the use of granulocytapheresis in ulcerative colitis.

A multi center study of granulocyte and monocyte adsorption apheresis therapy for ulcerative colitis-clinical efficacy and production of interleukin-1 receptor antagonist

Granulocyte and monocyte adsorption apheresis (GCAP) is a useful strategy for intractable ulcerative colitis, but its mechanisms of therapy is not fully explained. Previously, depleting activated granulocytes and monocytes (GMs) and modifying product of proinflammatory cytokines had been proposed. In addition, activated GMs are releasing anti-inflammatory cytokines, interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra) that may contribute to the clinical efficacy of GCAP therapy. Hence, to investigate contribution of IL-1ra as well as to confirm clinical efficacy of this therapy based on clinical activity index (CAI), we performed a multicenter study. Twenty-five of 38 (65.8%) patients achieved remission state (CAI < or = 4) and two of 38 (5.3%) revealed clinical improvement. Almost effective cases significantly decreased CAI even at 3rd session of GCAP. Plasma level of IL-1ra from outflow of the GCAP column at 30 min was significantly increased rather than inflow. Median exact elevated level of IL-1ra was 221 pg/ml and median of increasing ratio was 1.6 times. Furthermore, the responsive patients, who well released the IL-1ra at outflow more than 100 pg/ml compared with inflow, tended to show clinical effectiveness. While, the increased ratio of IL-1ra in effective cases did not differ from ineffective cases, and there were no significant relationship with improvement of CAI score. These conflict results suggest that the increase of IL-1ra at outflow is not a direct factor to the clinical improvement, but the induction of clinical improvement is accompanied by the release of IL-1ra. The IL-1ra may be involved in the multiple steps for the improvement induced by GCAP.

Endoscopic findings can predict the efficacy of leukocytapheresis for steroid-naive patients with moderately active ulcerative colitis

AIM

To investigate the therapeutic usefulness of leukocytapheresis (LCAP; Cellsoba) in steroid-naive patients with moderately active ulcerative colitis (UC).

METHODS

Eighteen steroid-naive patients with moderately active UC received one LCAP session every week for five consecutive weeks.

RESULTS

The remission rate 8 weeks after the last LCAP session was 61.1% (11/18). All three patients with deep ulcers showed worsening after LCAP. For the remaining 15 patients, who had erosions or geographic ulcers, the average clinical activity index (CAI) score dropped significantly from 9.4 to 3.8 eight weeks after the last LCAP session (t = 4.89, P = 0.001). The average C-reactive protein (CRP) levels before and after LCAP were 1.2 mg/dL and 1.0 mg/dL, respectively. Of the patients with erosions, geographic ulcers, and deep ulcers, 100% (9/9), 33.3% (2/6), and 0% (0/3) were in remission 8 weeks after the last LCAP session, respectively (chi(2) = 7.65, P < 0.005). Forty-eight weeks after the last LCAP session, the remission rates for patients with erosions and geographic ulcers were 44.4% (4/9) and 16.7% (1/6), respectively. Only one patient suffered a mild adverse event after LCAP (nausea).

CONCLUSION

LCAP is a useful and safe therapy for steroid-naive UC patients with moderate disease activity. Moreover, the efficacy of the treatment can be predicted on the basis of endoscopic findings.

In patients with ulcerative colitis, adsorptive depletion of granulocytes and monocytes impacts mucosal level of neutrophils and clinically is most effective in steroid naïve patients

BACKGROUND

The aetiology of ulcerative colitis is inadequately understood, and drug therapy has been empirical rather than based on sound understanding of disease aetiology. This has been a major factor for refractoriness and adverse drug effects as additional complications. However, ulcerative colitis by its very nature is exacerbated and perpetuated by inflammatory cytokines, which are released by peripheral granulocytes and monocytes as well. Additionally, active ulcerative colitis is often associated with elevated peripheral granulocytes and monocytes with activation behaviour and are found in vast numbers within the colonic mucosa. Hence, from the clinicopathologic viewpoint, granulocytes and monocytes are appropriate targets for therapy in ulcerative colitis. Based on this thinking, an Adacolumn has been developed for depleting excess granulocytes and monocytes by adsorption.

METHODS

By colonoscopy, biopsy and histology, we investigated the impact of granulocyte and monocyte adsorption (GMA) on the mucosal level of granulocytes and monocytes in patients with active ulcerative colitis. Forty-five patients (26 steroid naïve and 19 steroid-dependent), mean age 44.7 yr, were included. Twenty patients had total colitis and 25 had left-sided colitis. Each patient was given up to 11 GMA sessions over 12 weeks. No patient received additional medications within 4 weeks (steroid) to 8 weeks (other immunosuppressants) prior to entry or during the GMA course. Colonoscopy together with biopsy was done at entry and within 2 weeks after the last GMA session.

RESULTS

At entry, the mean clinical activity index was 12.6; range 10-16. A total of 400 colonic biopsies were examined, which revealed massive infiltration of the colonic mucosa by granulocytes, and GMA was associated with striking reduction of granulocytes in the mucosa. At week 12, 33 of 45 patients (73.3%, P<0.01) had achieved clinical remission (the mean clinical activity index <or= 4). Colonoscopy revealed that most non-responders had deep colonic ulcers and extensive loss of the mucosal tissue. The response rate in steroid naïve subgroup was 22 of 26 patients (84.6%, P<0.005) and in steroid-dependent was 11 of 19 (57.9%, P<0.05 and P=0.02154 for steroid naïve vs. steroid-dependent). Patients who achieved remission could continue with their salicylates. On average, remission was sustained for 7.8 months in all 33 responders.

CONCLUSIONS

This is the first report showing a striking difference in clinical response to GMA between steroid naïve and steroid-dependent patients. Further, patients with deep colonic ulcers together with extensive loss of the mucosal tissue are not like to respond to GMA.

A randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled study of granulocyte/monocyte apheresis for active ulcerative colitis

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Activated granulocytes and monocytes/macrophages are implicated in the pathogenesis of ulcerative colitis. Open-label studies and clinical experience in Japan and Europe have suggested that granulocyte/monocyte apheresis is safe and effective in treating ulcerative colitis.

METHODS

We evaluated the efficacy of granulocyte/monocyte apheresis in a randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled trial in patients with active moderate-to-severe ulcerative colitis (Mayo score 6-11) in community-based and tertiary care centers. As intervention, we used granulocyte/monocyte apheresis with the Adacolumn Apheresis System (JIMRO, Ltd, Takasaki, Japan) or sham apheresis in a 2:1 ratio for 9 weeks of treatment in a North American pivotal study (N = 168) and in a smaller, companion study of identical design conducted in Europe and Japan (N = 47).

RESULTS

In the pivotal study, clinical remission rates (Mayo score 0-2, with scores of 0 on rectal bleeding and 0 or 1 on endoscopic examination) were 17% and 11% for the granulocyte/monocyte apheresis (n = 112)- and sham-treatment groups, respectively (n = 56; P = .361). Clinical response (Mayo score reduction of >/=3 points from baseline) was observed in 44% and 39% of patients, respectively (P = .620). Similar changes were observed for the apheresis- and sham-treatment groups for endoscopic remission and response, and changes in Mayo and quality-of-life scores. The companion study and pooled data from both studies also yielded similar results.

CONCLUSIONS

In this study, granulocyte/monocyte apheresis was well tolerated but did not demonstrate efficacy for induction of clinical remission or response in patients with moderate-to-severe ulcerative colitis.