Combined treatment with calcipotriol ointment and low-dose ultraviolet A1 phototherapy in childhood morphea.
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| Abstract |
Various therapies for morphea have been used with limited success, including ones with potentially hazardous side effects. When morphea occurs in childhood it may lead to progressive and long-lasting induration of the skin and subcutaneous tissue, growth retardation, and muscle atrophy. We report an open prospective study in which the efficacy of a combined treatment with calcipotriol ointment and low-dose ultraviolet A1 (UVA1) phototherapy in childhood morphea was investigated. Nineteen children (mean age 8.5 years, range 3-13 years) with morphea were exposed to UVA1 (340-400 nm) phototherapy at a dose of 20 J/cm(2) four times a week for 10 weeks. Forty phototherapy sessions resulted in a cumulative dose of 800 J/cm(2) UVA1. In addition, calcipotriol ointment (0.005%) was applied twice a day. After 10 weeks, palpation and inspection showed a remarkable softening and repigmentation of formerly affected skin resulting in a highly significant (p < 0.001) decrease of the mean clinical score from 7.3 +/- 0.9 at the beginning to 2.4 +/- 0.9 (relative reduction 67.1%) at the end of combined therapy. Our results indicate that a combined therapy with calcipotriol ointment and low-dose UVA1 phototherapy is highly effective in childhood morphea. Further controlled studies are necessary to investigate whether this combined therapy is superior to UVA1 phototherapy alone.
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| Authors | A Kreuter, T Gambichler, A Avermaete, T Jansen, M Hoffmann, K Hoffmann, P Altmeyer, G von Kobyletzki, M Bacharach-Buhles |
| Journal | Pediatric dermatology (Pediatr Dermatol) 2001 May-Jun Vol. 18 Issue 3 Pg. 241-5 ISSN: 0736-8046 [Print] United States |
| PMID | 11438008 (Publication Type: Clinical Trial, Journal Article) |
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