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To minimize the adverse effects of high-dose administration of steroids and cyclophosphamide in patients with myeloperoxidase (MPO) antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA), granulocytapheresis (GCAP) or leukocytapheresis (LCAP) was performed to reduce inflammation. Four patients with rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis (RPGN) and one patient with pulmonary hemorrhage due to MPO-ANCA-associated vasculitis were treated by cytapheresis. The prednisolone (PSL) dose was 0.28 ± 0.15 mg/kg/day (mean ± SD) (range 0.18-0.50 g/kg/day). In the 4 RPGN patients, the peak serum creatinine level was 3.7 ± 1.9 mg/dl (range 1.7 to 5.6 mg/dl). GCAP was performed in 3 RPGN patients and in 1 pul-monary hemorrhage patient. LCAP was performed in 1 RPGN patient. In the 4 RPGN patients, renal function improved after combined therapy with cytapheresis and corticosteroids. In the pulmonary hemorrhage patient, evidence of pulmonary hemorrhage on chest computed tomography scanning diminished after combined therapy with cytapheresis and corticosteroids. Cytapheresis, when combined with a low-dose or intermediate-dose PSL regimen, is effective in the treatment of ANCA-associated vasculitis. Key Words: Cytapheresis-Granulocytapheresis-Lymphocytapheresis-Myeloperoxidase antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis. CASE REPORTS Case 1Urinary protein was detected in a 60 year old man, and he consulted a doctor in March 2001. At that time his serum creatinine level was 0.9 mg/dl. Thereafter, he was seen by a local physician once a month, and dilazep dihydrochloride was prescribed for treatment. His serum creatinine level rapidly rose to

The effects of antibody-mediated rejection on long-term graft survival have not been fully investigated. The aim of this study is to clarify the influence on long-term survival of deposition of the complement split product C4d in allografts using polyclonal anti-C4d antibody. Inclusion criteria were recipients who underwent graft biopsy during acute deterioration of graft function within the first 2 yr after transplantation. Patients whose graft did not survive more than 1 yr and who received graft from an human leucocyte antigen (HLA)-identical sibling or an ABO-incompatible donor were excluded. Among the 92 recipients investigated, 22 (23.9%) had peritubular capillary C4d deposition, 15 (16.3%) had glomerular capillary C4d deposition and seven (7.6%) had both peritubular and glomerular capillary C4d deposition. Twenty of these 22 patients revealed acute cellular rejection, including borderline changes. There was no significant relationship between pathological severity of acute rejection and presence or absence of peritubular capillary C4d deposition. Graft survival was inferior in patients with peritubular capillary C4d deposition to that in patients without C4d deposition (p = 0.0419). Graft survival in patients with glomerular C4d deposition did not differ from that in patients without C4d deposition. In conclusion, C4d deposition in peritubular capillaries has a substantial impact on long-term graft survival.

To evaluate the efficacy of cytapheresis for the treatment of rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis (RPGN) caused by myeloperoxidase antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (MPO-ANCA)-associated vasculitis, the renal prognosis and the mortality rate at 1 year after treatment were compared between a Cytapheresis Group and a Steroid Pulse Group. The Cytapheresis Group included 10 patients who were treated with cytapheresis and oral corticosteroids. Five had granulocytapheresis with the Adacolumn (Japan Immuno Research Laboratories Co. Ltd, Takasaki, Japan) and the remaining five had leukocytapheresis with the leukocyte removal filter, Cellsorba (Asahi Medical Co. Ltd, Tokyo, Japan). The Steroid Pulse Group was comprised of 12 patients who were treated with methylprednisolone pulse therapy and oral corticosteroids. In the Cytapheresis Group, renal function recovered in 70% of the patients and the mortality rate was 10%. In the Steroid Pulse Group, renal function recovered in 66.7% and the mortality rate was 33.3%, with infection as the cause of death. Total doses of corticosteroids converted to prednisolone dose during a 1 month period, ranged from 280 mg to 1226 mg in the Cytapheresis Group. On the other hand, these dosages ranged from 2375 mg to 8380 mg in the Steroid Pulse Group. These results indicated that the mortality rate by infection could be reduced by adding cytapheresis therapy. Concerning the mechanism of cytapheresis, anti-inflammatory factors such as soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor, and interleukin-10 reduced after cytapheresis. These changes might be responsible for the efficacy of cytapheresis. In conclusion, cytapheresis is thought to be one of the effective treatments for RPGN caused by MPO-ANCA-associated vasculitis, reducing the levels of anti-inflammatory factors.

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