Abstract
Granulocyte and monocyte adsorption apheresis (GMA) using a column filled with cellulose acetate beads has been used as extracorporeal therapeutic intervention of inflammatory bowel diseases, including ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. Furthermore, many reports have shown the striking efficacy of GMA in patients with pustular psoriasis refractory to conventional therapies. However, there remain many issues to be clarified or optimized, including the effect of different patient backgrounds on GMA efficacy, sustained efficacy of GMA, efficacy of GMA in preventing recurrence, optimal frequency of GMA use, optimal number of times of GMA use, the volume of effusion in GMA, and GMA maintenance therapy after remission. In addition, further clinical trials are needed to confirm the indication of GMA for other refractory skin diseases, such as psoriatic arthritis and pyoderma gangrenosum.
