[Treatment of connective tissue disorder-related acral syndromes using UVA-1 phototherapy. An open study of 11 cases]. / Traitement des acrosyndromes des connectivites par photothérapie UVA-1. Etude ouverte de 11 cas.

BACKGROUND: UVA-1 phototherapy is used to treat various connective tissues disorders including systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and systemic sclerosis (SS). We conducted an open study to investigate the efficacy of this therapy on connective tissue disorder-related acrosyndrome. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Eleven patients with Raynaud's phenomenon refractory to the standard therapy (six SLE and five SS) were treated with UVA-1 in an open study. Whole-body phototherapy was given in seven cases but was restricted to the hands in four cases. The results were evaluated by comparing status before and after treatment using semi-quantitative tools in terms of daily frequency and intensity of spastic phenomena, pain, overall patient satisfaction, improvement of cutaneous lesions, trophic disorders and distal cutaneous flexibility for patients with ScS. RESULTS: After treatment, Raynaud's phenomenon improved in terms of both frequency and severity in 9/11 patients (82%: 4/6 SS and 5/5 SLE). Likewise, pain decreased in 8/11 cases (73%: 3/6 SS and 5/5 SLE). 7/12 patients felt their condition had improved (64%: 3/6 SS and 4/5 SLE). Cutaneous lesions improved in 5/11 patients (45%: 2/6 SS and 3/5 SLE), especially for lupus-related lesions including chilblains and in idiopathic chilblains that totally subsided within one month. Digital ulcers improved in all cases, with complete healing in 3/4 patients (75%). In SS, cutaneous flexibility significantly improved in 2/6 cases (33%). No major adverse effects were seen in patients treated with hand-only phototherapy but a slight and spontaneously reversible cutaneous rash, reminiscent of lupus lesions, occurred in one female patient receiving whole-body phototherapy. DISCUSSION: This study is the first to provide a precise evaluation of the efficiency of UVA-1 phototherapy on connective tissue disorder-related acrosyndrome. This therapeutic effect is not necessarily restricted to the laboratory effects of UVA-1 since the favourable impact of infrared radiation and a placebo effect cannot be ruled out. Although its methodological limitations are obvious, our study also confirms dare data in the recent literature data by demonstrating significant improvement in cutaneous lesions, trophic ulcers and Raynaud's phenomenon in patients presenting connective tissue disorders, including SS, without any major adverse effects. CONCLUSION: Although these preliminary results remain to be confirmed by large-scale, randomized studies, UVA-1 phototherapy clearly offers a new and valuable therapeutic option in connective tissue disorders associated with acral manifestations and/or lesions, including SLE and SS.

[Polymorphic light eruption: prophylaxis using a topical combination of antioxidants and UVA protection formulations]. / Lucite estivale bénigne: prévention par un topique associant des filtres anti-UVA et des antioxydants.

BACKGROUND: In a recent randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical study, the efficacy of a combination consisting of 0.25% alpha-glucosyl-rutin, 1% vitamin E and a broad-spectrum, highly UVA-protective sunscreen (sun protector factor 15 - persistent pigmentation darkening 6) regarding prevention of polymorphous light eruption was well demonstrated. We evaluated this combination under real solar exposure conditions. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients with three previous typical polymorphous light eruptions (including one in the last year) were included in an open prospective multicenter study. The preparation was applied every two hours after the first summer exposure. No topical or systemic treatments presumed to be effective against polymorphous light eruption were given concomitantly. Evaluation was performed after the summer by a dermatologist. RESULTS: Two of the 54 patients dropped out of the study, one for an adverse effect (contact dermatitis). At the end of the study following application of the test preparation, no eruption was seen for 35 patients (67%), with minor eruption for 10 patients (19%) and an marked eruption for 7 patients (13%). Pruritus (present in all patients the year before) was not seen in 36 patients (69%), was considered bearable for 36 patients and unbearable for only 3 patients compared to 27 before inclusion. For the dermatologists, efficacy was excellent for 35 patients and good for 7 patients, giving global efficacy of around 80%, with inadequate results in 10% of cases (5 patients). Concerning protection against erythema, the test product reduced sunburn by 60% compared with the previous year. DISCUSSION: Because of the high clinical efficacy of the product noted after UVA challenge tests and verified by this clinical study under actual conditions of exposure, it may be proposed as a new prophylactic treatment for polymorphous light eruption.

[Narrow band UVB phototherapy in the treatment of widespread lichen planus]. / Photothérapie à spectre étroit dans le traitement du lichen plan cutané disséminé.

INTRODUCTION: UVA phototherapy, acitretin and oral corticosteroids are currently the front-line treatment of disseminated cutaneous lichen planus. We studied the efficacy of narrow band UVB therapy in this indication. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We retrospectively studied the dossiers of patients suffering from disseminated cutaneous lichen planus, treated with narrow band phototherapy in the Phototherapy Unit of the University hospital in Montpellier, from May to November of the year 2001. Disseminated lichen planus was defined as lichen involving at least 20p. 100 of the skin surface. Twenty patients were included. UVB were applied thrice weekly using a Philips TL01 cubicle (311-313 nm). The protocol was that used for the treatment of psoriasis. We defined 4 types of response: complete response (disappearance of more than 90p. 100 of the lesions), partial response (disappearance of at least 50p. 100) poor response (improvement in 20 to 50p. 100) and failure (less than 20p. 100 reduction in the lesions). Assessment of relapses in the long term was made using a telephone survey among the patients treated or their physicians. RESULTS: Complete response was obtained in 11 out of the 20 patients (55p. 100) and partial response in 4 (20p. 100), corresponding to 75p. 100 of the responders. Response was obtained with a median delay of 3 months, ranging from 2 to 6 months, following a median of 30 sessions (12 to 50) and accumulated dose of UVB of 36 +/- 4.8 joules/cm2. The phototype, gender, age and duration of evolution before treatment did not influence the response. The relapse rate was and estimated 18p. 100 (2/11) 42 months after treatment had been stopped. DISCUSSION: In our opinion, these results underline the efficacy of narrow band UVB in the treatment of disseminated cutaneous lichen planus. They confirm those of earlier studies and are superimposable with those of oral UVA phototherapy.

[The prospective multicenter study on standard photopatch tests by the French Society of Photodermatology from 1991-2001]. / Etude prospective multicentrique 1991-2001 de la batterie standard des photopatch-tests de la Société Française de Photodermatologie.

INTRODUCTION: To develop a standard panel of photopatch tests, the French Society of Photodermatology conducted a prospective study from 1991 to 2001 on the frequency of photoallergens encountered in France and on the relevance of the choice of the various photoallergens. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Thirteen photobiology centers participated in the study from 1991 to 1995, and ten centers from 1995 to 2001. A set of 3 samples of photopatch tests was applied on any patient suspected of photoallergy. On Day 2, two sets were irradiated with ultraviolet A (UVA) and total spectrum (DEM 0.75); with the third set being used as control. Readings were made on D3 and D4. RESULTS: Two thousand sixty-seven patients were tested. Eight hundred fifty-six, i.e., 41% exhibited one or several positive tests. In the majority of cases it was a photoallergy (39.7 to 60% of cases) and eczema (29.5 to 45.6%). Photoaggravation was infrequent (7.9 to 10.3%). Cases of phototoxicity were rare. Sesquiterpenic lactones constantly provoked photoallergy, with 12 cases in 10 years. Although phenothiazines were the most photosensitizing allergens up until 1995, they were then overridden by ketoprofen in 1996 with 107 cases of UVA photosensitive reactions (75 cases) and total spectrum (32 cases). These were followed closely by sun screens, benzophenone (notably Eusolex 4360 with 54 pertinent cases of photoallergy) and dibenzoylmethane (with 31 cases due to Eusolex 8020). UVB filters were all potentially photosensitizing but to a lesser degree from 1 to 5 cases). DISCUSSION: Our results differ from those of Anglo-Saxon teams in the appearance of a new photoallergen, ketoprofen, which provoked numerous photosensitivities in both UVA and UVB. This justifies the systematic addition of this substance in our prospective set. Photoallergy was relatively rare, with around 100 cases reported within 10 years. Total spectrum irradiation of the photopatch tests revealed photoallergies that would not have been found with UVA alone. CONCLUSION: Study of photopatch tests has permitted the uniformization of the methodology in France, an overview of the frequency of the photoallergens tested and the development of a new standard set.

The pharmacological basis for the treatment of photodermatoses.

The pharmacological basis for the treatment of photosensitivity diseases is poorly understood. The supposed pathogenesis of photosensitivity reactions is reviewed, and the mechanism of action of drugs known to be efficient in this type of reaction (antimalarials, beta-carotene, thalidomide, PUVA therapy) discussed.

[Clinical forms of skin manifestations in allergy to perfume]. / Formes cliniques des manifestations cutanées d'allergie aux parfums.

Perfumes are increasingly used in an ever wider variety of fields, including perfumes proper, cosmetic products, hygienic products, drugs, detergents and other household products, plastics, industrial greases, oils and solvents, foods, etc. Their composition is usually complex; it involves numerous natural and synthetic sweet-smelling constituents, more than 5,000 of which are known (13). Perfumes may produce toxic and, more often, allergic respiratory disorders (asthma), as well as neurological (10) and cutaneous disorders. They are the most common cause of skin allergy to cosmetic products (1, 11) and one of the most important causes of skin allergy to topical drugs or even to syrups which may reactivate contact dermatitis (24). People engaged in the manufacturing of these products may become sensitized to perfumes.

[Hodgkin's disease complicating actinoreticulosis]. / Maladie de Hodgkin compliquant une actinoréticulose.

The authors describe the occurrence of Hodgkin's disease in a patient suffering from actinic reticuloid since 12 years. The severity of the disease (MED less than 1 mJ/cm2 UVB) imposed corticosteroids and immunosuppressive therapy (chlorambucil). The role of actinic reticuloid's pathogeny (persistent light reaction) and principally use of immunosuppressive drugs are discussed and may explain the occurrence of Hodgkin's disease.

[Narrow-band UVB phototherapy (Philips TL01 lamps) in psoriasis]. / La photothérapie UVB à spectre étroit (lampes Philips TL01) dans le psoriasis.

The authors report the results of an open study conducted on 53 patients with psoriasis treated by narrow-band UVB phototherapy, using Philips' TL01 lamp. With a simple procedure which did not require MED determination this treatment gave satisfactory results in 92 p. 100 of the cases, with mild burns in only 9 p. 100. The morphological type of psoriasis (patchy, guttate or nummular) had no influence on the therapeutic result, but the degree of infiltration of the lesions and their location on the lower limbs proved to be a factor of relative resistance. In most patients the results were obtained in 20 sessions with a mean cumulative dose of 20.19 +/- 2.7 J/cm2. Some patients had an additional treatment of 6 sessions. The results obtained with Philips' TL01 lamp were as satisfactory as those obtained with the conventional UVB lamps, but the TL01 lamp seemed to be easier to handle and better tolerated, which gives them some advantages over the latter.

[Phototherapy of photodermatoses]. / Photothérapie des photodermatoses.

Paradoxical as it may seem, phototherapy, and in particular PUVA therapy, is of considerable interest in the treatment of such photodermatoses as polymorphous light eruptions, solar urticaria and remanent photosensitivity syndrome. When used rationally, with the appropriate therapeutic regimen and under close monitoring of the parameters, these treatments give very satisfactory results in preventing the occurrence of photo-induced skin eruptions.

[Percutaneous absorption of triamcinolone 16 alpha, 17 alpha cyclopentylene-dioxy-21-acetate (author's transl)]. / Etude de la résorption transcutanée du 21-acétate de 16 alpha, 17 alpha-cyclopentyène dioxytriamcinolone.

The authors try to estimate the percutaneous absorption of a new corticosteroid, derived from triamcinolone: Amcinonide, which is presented as a cream and 0.1% ointment. The study was carried out on 13 patients; cream was applied to 5 of them under occlusive dressings during 48 h, 4 other had ordinary topical applications of the cream, and the 4 remaining patients were treated with the ointment. The parameters studied were 17-ketosteroids and 17-hydroxysteroids in the 24-hour urine, daily sodium and potassium urinary elimination, plasma cortisol levels and ACTH stimulation test before and after treatment. Only extensive occlusive plastic dressings (50--90% of the body area) lead to a temporary decrease in the activity of the pituitary adrenal system (lowering of the 17-hydroxysteroids in the 24-hour urine in all patients, lowering of the normal adrenocortical response after stimulation with exogenous ACTH in 1 patient). On the other hand, the elimination of urinary ions is not significantly modified. With ordinary topical application of cream or ointment no systemic effect could be observed.

[Kaposi's sarcoma during local and general steroid therapy for psoriasis (author's transl)]. / Maladie de Kaposi chez un psoriasique soumis à une corticothérapie locale massive et prolongée.

The authors describe a new case of Kaposi's sarcoma associated with psoriasis. The patient (a 68-year-old Nord-African man) had suffered from psoriasis for 14 years and had applied local betamethasone or fluocinolone for 125 months when Kaposi's sarcoma occurred. The association between these two diseases is discussed. The role of local steroid therapy and the immunological abnormality occurring in psoriasis are analyzed in order to explain the association between psoriasis and Kaposi's sarcoma or other malignant diseases.