PUVA-cream photochemotherapy for the treatment of localized scleroderma

• Published in: Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology 2000-10, Vol.43 (4), p.675-678
• Main Authors: Grundmann-Kollmann, Marcella, Ochsendorf, Falk, Zollner, Thomas M., Spieth, Konstanze, Sachsenberg-Studer, Evelyn, Kaufmann, Roland, Podda, Maurizio
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Biological and medical sciences; Dosage Forms; Female; Humans; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; PUVA Therapy; Sarcoidosis. Granulomatous diseases of unproved etiology. Connective tissue diseases. Elastic tissue diseases. Vasculitis; Scleroderma, Localized - drug therapy; Scleroderma, Localized - pathology
• ISSN: 0190-9622; 1097-6787
• DOI: 10.1067/mjd.2000.105503

Background: The efforts to treat localized scleroderma, including therapies with potentially hazardous side effects, are often unsatisfactory. Recently, PUVA-bath photochemotherapy has been proven highly effective in the treatment of localized scleroderma. Another form of topical PUVA therapy, 8-methoxypsoralen (8-MOP) containing cream or gel preparations, has been proven to be as effective as PUVA-bath therapy for palmoplantar dermatoses. Objective: We sought to assess the efficacy of PUVA-cream photochemotherapy in patients with localized scleroderma. Methods: Four patients with localized scleroderma were included in the study. Diagnosis was confirmed by 20 MHz ultrasound assessment as well as pretreatment skin biopsy specimens from lesional skin. PUVA-cream therapy was performed 4 times a week; all patients received 30 treatments. Results: PUVA-cream photochemotherapy induced significant clinical improvement or clearance of localized scleroderma in all patients. Clearance was documented by clinical features as well as by 20 MHz ultrasound and histopathologic analysis. Conclusion: PUVA-cream phototherapy can be highly effective in patients with localized scleroderma even if previous therapy was unsuccessful. (J Am Acad Dermatol 2000;43:675-8.)