title: Efficacy of granulocyte and monocyte adsorption apheresis for treatment of palmoplantar pustulosis.
abstract: Palmoplantar pustulosis (PPP) is characterized by neutrophilic pustules with erythema, which are limited to the hands and feet. Although granulocyte and monocyte adsorption apheresis (GMA) has shown remarkable effects on generalized pustular psoriasis, there are few reports of PPP treated with GMA. We treated three refractory PPP patients using GMA weekly for 5 weeks. The skin eruptions were assessed by a 5-grade score for scales, pustules, and erythema. GMA decreased the total grade from 9 to 2 in patients 1 and 2, and from 7 to 3 in patient 3. The GMA effects were estimated to be excellent in all three patients. Pustule formation and pain disappeared in all cases. The treatment effect lasted for at least 5 months after GMA. GMA was also effective for relieving the arthralgia in one patient, but it recurred at 6 weeks. Based on these findings, GMA could be an effective therapy for refractory PPP.
authors: Department of Dermatology, Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine, Gifu, Japan.
authors: Tomomi
authors: T
authors: Fujisawa
authors: Chisato
authors: C
authors: Tawada
authors: Yoko
authors: Y
authors: Mizutani
authors: Tomoaki
authors: T
authors: Doi
authors: Shozo
authors: S
authors: Yoshida
authors: Shinji
authors: S
authors: Ogura
authors: Mariko
authors: M
authors: Seishima
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001781:Blood Component Removal / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006098:Granulocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009000:Monocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D010146:Pain / Q000209:etiology*; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D012008:Recurrence; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Erythema; Granulocyte and monocyte adsorption apheresis; Palmoplantar pustulosis; Pustules; Skin eruptions