The role of granulocyte and monocyte apheresis in inflammatory bowel disease

Dear Sir, Activated granulocytes and monocytes may contribute to the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Granulocyte and monocyte apheresis (GMA) is a novel nonpharmacologic approach for active IBD, in which granulocytes and monocytes are mechanically removed from the circulatory system. Recently, two randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled studies were conducted to evaluate the efficacy of GMA for ulcerative colitis (UC)1 and Crohn's disease (CD).2 In both studies, the response and remission rates were not significantly different between the GMA and sham controlled groups. Clinical response and remission rates in …