title: Feasibility of five days of consecutive leukocytapheresis for the treatment of ulcerative colitis: a preliminary study.
abstract: Leukocytapheresis (LCAP) has been applied for the treatment of steroid refractory ulcerative colitis (UC). A standard protocol employs one or two sessions of LCAP per week. Our aim was to determine whether five consecutive LCAP sessions can be performed safely and effectively for UC patients. Six patients with moderately active UC were enrolled. The patients received five days of consecutive LCAP in which the processing volume of blood was limited to 1500 mL per session. The hemoglobin levels in each patient gradually decreased, and the platelet count by the fifth session reached half of the value before the first session. The clinical activity index in two patients improved daily, and they went into remission with an improvement in the colonic endoscopic appearance after one week. This preliminary study showed that five consecutive LCAP sessions are safe and feasible for active UC patients. The therapeutic efficacy and suitable patients for this treatment protocol should be confirmed by further studies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Shiga University of Medical Science, Seta-Tukinowa, Otsu, Japan. tujikawa@belle.shiga-med.ac.jp
authors.forename: Tomoyuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tsujikawa
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Andoh
authors.forename: Atsuhiro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ogaẃa
authors.forename: Ayano
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sonoda
authors.forename: Yuhki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yagi
authors.forename: Kazuori
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hata
authors.forename: Masaya
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sasaki
authors.forename: Yasaharu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Saito
authors.forename: Yoshihide
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Fujiyama
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000097:blood / Q000628:therapy*; D003113:Colonoscopy; D005260:Female; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007937:Leukapheresis / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D010865:Pilot Projects; D010976:Platelet Count; D012074:Remission Induction / Q000379:methods; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D005938:Glucocorticoids; D006454:Hemoglobins