Treatment of refractory Crohn's disease by intensive granulocyte and monocyte adsorption apheresis: a report on two drug refractory cases

Intern Med. 2011;50(15):1591-3. doi: 10.2169/internalmedicine.50.5260. Epub 2011 Aug 1.

Abstract

Granulocyte and monocyte adsorption apheresis (GMA) is one therapeutic option for induction of remission in patients with inflammatory bowel diseases. Recently intensive GMA (2 sessions per week) was reported to be strikingly better than weekly GMA, both in remission rate and time to remission. Here we report two cases of Crohn's disease refractory to weekly GMA who responded to intensive GMA. One patient had not received immunosuppressive therapy while the other had been refractory to combination therapy with infliximab and azathioprine. Intensive GMA induced remission in these 2 patients. Intensive GMA may represent a therapeutic choice for remission induction and maintenance with infliximab.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adsorption
  • Adult
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal / therapeutic use
  • Azathioprine / therapeutic use
  • Blood Component Removal / methods*
  • C-Reactive Protein / metabolism
  • Crohn Disease / blood
  • Crohn Disease / drug therapy
  • Crohn Disease / therapy*
  • Drug Resistance
  • Female
  • Granulocytes*
  • Hemoglobins / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Infliximab
  • Male
  • Monocytes*
  • Remission Induction
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Antibodies, Monoclonal
  • Hemoglobins
  • C-Reactive Protein
  • Infliximab
  • Azathioprine