Predictive factors of response to leukocytapheresis therapy for ulcerative colitis.
Leukocytapheresis (LCAP) using a leukocyte removal filter was performed for 8 patients with moderate to severe ulcerative colitis (UC). Significant clinical improvement was attained in 5 of 8 patients (62.5%). All of them had been suffering from moderately active colitis and received corticosteroid therapy. On the other hand, 3 patients with severely active disease and treated with little or no corticosteroid were resistant to LCAP. This result indicates that LCAP is an effective treatment for steroid-resistant cases of UC when combined with steroid therapy. LCAP alone, however, seems to have little efficacy for severely active UC.
Yajima
T
T
Department of Internal Medicine, Keio University, Tokyo, Japan.
Takaishi
H
H
Kanai
T
T
Iwao
Y
Y
Watanabe
M
M
Ishii
H
H
Hibi
T
T
D000328:Adult; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000628:therapy*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007937:Leukapheresis; D008297:Male; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011239:Prednisolone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012460:Sulfasalazine / Q000627:therapeutic use
D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D012460:Sulfasalazine; D011239:Prednisolone