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Low‐dose UVA 1 phototherapy for scleroderma: what benefit can we expect?
Author(s) -
Pereira N.,
Santiago F.,
Oliveira H.,
Figueiredo A.
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
journal of the european academy of dermatology and venereology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.655
H-Index - 107
eISSN - 1468-3083
pISSN - 0926-9959
DOI - 10.1111/j.1468-3083.2011.04137.x
Subject(s) - morphea , medicine , scleroderma (fungus) , localized scleroderma , cumulative dose , dermatology , connective tissue disease , retrospective cohort study , nuclear medicine , surgery , autoimmune disease , disease , pathology , lichen sclerosus , inoculation
Background The first reports of the application of ultravioletA 1 (UVA 1 ) phototherapy for scleroderma go back only to 1995, but since then, several studies have proven its effectiveness in this disease. Objectives To evaluate the effectiveness of low‐dose (35 J/cm 2 ) UVA 1 phototherapy in patients with scleroderma, trying to define the subgroups that benefit most from this treatment. Methods Retrospective analysis of patients diagnosed with clinical and/or histological scleroderma, undergoing low‐dose UVA 1 phototherapy between 2003 and 2010. Results We studied 21 patients (20 women and one man) aged 10–75 years (mean 50). Eighteen with morphea performed a total of 29 treatments, with an average of 33 sessions per treatment per patient, a mean dose of 31 J/cm 2 per session and an average cumulative dose of 1662 J/cm 2 (310–4270). The three patients with systemic scleroderma underwent a total of five treatments, with an average of 26 sessions per treatment per patient, a mean dose of 29.5 J/cm 2 per session and an average cumulative dose of 1160 J/cm 2 (660–1695). Using the modified Rodnan skin score, in the group of patients with morphea, a marked improvement was found in 77.8% patients and a moderate improvement was found in 11.1% patients. In the systemic scleroderma group, a patient with complete remission of the skin sclerosis is emphasized. Conclusions Our experience allows us to conclude that low‐dose UVA 1 phototherapy is a well tolerated option, with excellent results mainly in patients with morphea. This treatment is a valuable contribution to these patients, given the limited therapeutic options available.