Partial remission of refractory RA after Adacolumn cytapheresis: a case report.
We report on a female case of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) with hepatitis C virus comorbidity. The patient was treated once weekly over ten consecutive weeks with Adacolumn device. Clinical assessment and HCV-RNA concentration were monitored at weeks-1, 4, 9, 14 and during follow-up over 6 months. At the end of the treatment: the number of tender and swollen joints, patient's global assessment of disease activity (VAS), physician's VAS, C-reactive protein (CRP) decreased, respectively; ACR response was >20. This improvement was maintained for over 2 months. At week 38, the patient was re-treated achieving again an ACR response >20.
Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, S. Chiara Hospital, Pisa, Italy. l.bazzichi@int.med.unipi.it
L
L
Bazzichi
T
T
Giuliano
A
A
Rossi
A
A
Mazzoni
T
T
Grazzini
F
F
De Feo
C
C
Giacomelli
F
F
Scatena
S
S
Bombardieri
D000368:Aged; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy*; D015897:Comorbidity; D016238:Cytapheresis / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006098:Granulocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008775:Methylprednisolone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009000:Monocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D010894:Piroxicam / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012074:Remission Induction / Q000379:methods; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000453:epidemiology*
D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D010894:Piroxicam; D008775:Methylprednisolone