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Granulocyte and monocyte adsorption apheresis as an effective treatment for Reiter disease
Author(s) -
Yoshifuku A.,
Oyama K.,
Ibusuki A.,
Kawasaki M.,
Sakanoue M.,
Matsushita S.,
Kawai K.,
Kawahara K.,
Maruyama I.,
Kanekura T.
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
clinical and experimental dermatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.587
H-Index - 78
eISSN - 1365-2230
pISSN - 0307-6938
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2230.2011.04181.x
Subject(s) - dermatology , medicine , apheresis , academic department , political science , law , higher education , platelet
Summary Reiter disease (RD) is characterized by a triad of sterile arthritis, urethritis and conjunctivitis. The conditions occur concomitantly or sequentially, and are associated with mucocutaneous features such as circinate balanitis and stomatitis. Arthritis usually occurs in attacks followed by recovery, but it sometimes progresses to permanent damage of the affected joints. Because the symptoms of this disorder are attributable to activated neutrophils, we assessed the efficacy of granulocyte and monocyte adsorption apheresis (GCAP) in a 73‐year‐old man with RD who had skin rashes on his penis, scrotum and right hand, with severe arthralgia. The patient’s skin rash and joint pain responded dramatically to five sessions of GCAP delivered at intervals of 5 days. We present a detailed description of the patient and discuss the mechanisms of GCAP, and suggest that GCAP may be useful for treating RD.