Comparison of efficacy of aminolaevulinic acid photodynamic therapy vs. adapalene gel plus oral doxycycline for treatment of moderate acne vulgaris-A simple, blind, randomized, and controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Although progress has been made in the study of photodynamic therapy for acne, studies using current recommended therapies as active comparators are lacking. METHODS: Randomized, controlled trial involving 46 patients with moderate inflammatory facial acne, 23 patients received two sessions of PDT separated by 2 weeks (ALA 20% incubated 1.5 hours before red light irradiation with 37 J/cm2 fluence) and 23 patients received doxycycline 100 mg/d plus adapalene gel 0.1%. In both groups, from the sixth week, we started adapalene gel 0.1% as maintenance therapy until 12 weeks of follow-up. Primary end point was the reduction of acne lesions at the 6-week follow-up, which was evaluated by 2 investigators blinded to the intervention. RESULTS: The median percent reductions in noninflammatory lesion count (P = 0.013) and total lesions (P = 0.038) at 6 weeks was found to be significantly higher in the group receiving PDT. At 12 weeks there was a greater reduction of inflammatory lesions in PDT group with 84% vs. 74% for group who received doxycycline plus adapalene (P = 0.020) as well as in reducing total lesions with 79% vs. 67% respectively (P = 0.026). No severe side-effects were observed for either therapy. CONCLUSIONS: ALA-PDT offers promise as an alternative treatment for moderately severe inflammatory acne that has a higher effectiveness than the combination of doxycycline and adapalene gel in reducing noninflammatory and total lesions at 6 weeks. There were significantly superior reductions at 12 weeks in the combination of PDT group followed by adapalene gel in total, inflammatory, and noninflammatory lesions.

Periorbital syringoma treated with radiofrequency and carbon dioxide (CO2) laser in 5 patients.

Syringomas are common benign eccrine ductal adnexial tumors, commonly found in periorbital area. Periorbital syringomas are aesthetically disturbing difficult to treat. Many treatment modalities are described in the literature, including topical and surgical methods, with potential problems such as postinflammatory hyper- and hypopigmentation, low efficacy, or scar formation. We present 5 patients with syringoma treated with the combination of radiofrequency ablation and carbon dioxide (CO2) lasers. Using low-energy parameters on the CO2 laser, and low energy on the radiofrequency, we could complement both treatments maximizing the destruction of the tumors and minimizing the adverse effects in only two sessions. This is a relatively easy, safe, and less painful treatment, with good cosmetic results on periorbital syringomas.

Addition of chitosan may improve the treatment efficacy of triple bandage and compression in the treatment of venous leg ulcers.

INTRODUCTION: venous leg ulcers are an important problem in public health due to their high prevalence and treatment cost. The gold standard therapy is the compression bandage. Addition of different substances to the compression therapy in order to accelerate ulcer healing has been attempted but none of them has yielded optimal results. OBJECTIVE: to describe the treatment efficacy of venous leg ulcers treated with triple compression bandage and chitosan gel. METHODS: a longitudinal and descriptive study was conducted in a sample of 16 patients with 26 venous leg ulcers that were treated with triple compression bandage plus a chitosan gel every seven days during nine weeks. Ulcer surface was measured during each treatment step. RESULTS: at the end of the treatment period, 89 percent reduction of the ulcer area was found when compared to the initial area at the beginning of the study. This value represents a reduction rate of 1.8 cm2/week. DISCUSSION: the results obtained in ulcer healing were higher than those previously reported when the compression bandage treatment of venous leg ulcers was performed alone. The observed difference might be due to the effect of the chitosan gel.

Treatment of facial atrophic scars with Esthélis, a hyaluronic acid filler with polydense cohesive matrix (CPM).

BACKGROUND: The treatment of atrophic scars is difficult and dermal filler materials provide a simple alternative with immediate results. Esthélis® is an injectable non-animal crosslinked hyaluronic acid of Swiss origin characterized by a polydense cohesive matrix (CPM®) which produces a gel of uniform consistency with better biointegration to the tissues and a longer duration. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate Esthélis in the treatment of atrophic scars. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Twelve patients aged 18-56 years with facial atrophic scars caused by acne vulgaris, dog bite, piercing, basal cell carcinoma and leishmaniasis were treated with Esthélis. The injection technique was linear threading, serial puncture or a combination of both. Clinical efficacy was assessed independently by the authors and by patients immediately, one week and one month after the injection. Adverse events were registered. RESULTS: Authors described the results as moderate (27%), good (57%) and excellent (17%), immediately, one week and one month after the injection. Patients evaluated the cosmetic improvement as good (42%) or excellent (58%) one month after the treatment. Pain during the injection was described as slight or moderate. Only mild erythema was observed immediately after injection, which spontaneously resolved within few hours. CONCLUSION: Esthélis showed good or excellent results in most patients with atrophic scars, and these were perceived as even better when patients evaluated the cosmetic improvement. The best results were observed in patients with more deforming scars such as surgical scars or trauma.

Efficacy of red light alone and methyl-aminolaevulinate-photodynamic therapy for the treatment of mild and moderate facial acne.

BACKGROUND: Photodynamic therapy (PDT) has been shown to be an effective alternative for acne. However, there is little information comparing the efficacy of red light alone and methyl aminolaevulinate (MAL)-PDT. AIMS: To compare the efficacy and tolerability of red light alone and MAL-PDT in patients with mild to moderate facial acne. METHODS: Thirty six patients with mild to moderate acne were enrolled. Eighteen patients recieved MAL-PDT and 18 received red light alone in two sessions, 2 weeks apart. Acne grade and lesion counts were assessed by blinded evaluators at baseline, 2, 4 and 10 weeks. RESULTS: At week 2, clinical improvement from acne grade II-IV to 0-I was observed in 82.3% of MAL-PDT group and 14.2% of red light alone group. Red light alone group had a gradual clinical improvement over time with a 77% response at week 10. In contrast, MAL-PDT group had a rapid clinical improvement with total response at week 10. Both treatments were significantly effective for improving acne lesions. However, MAL-PDT group had a greater response (P < 0.001). Histologically, decreased amounts of sebocytes and lipids along with atrophic sebaceous glands were observed after MAL-PDT. CONCLUSION: MAL-PDT has a quicker onset of action with a higher response than red light alone. MAL-PDT may induce a reduction in the size of the sebaceous glands and then long-term acne remission.

Efficacy of topical photodynamic therapy for keratoacanthomas: a case-series of four patients.

Topical photodynamic therapy (PDT) is an excellent treatment option for various non-melanoma skin cancers and precancerous lesions, including actinic keratosis, Bowen's disease, and basal cell carcinoma. The clinical use of PDT includes a broad range of neoplastic, inflammatory, and infectious skin diseases. There is also anecdotal evidence suggesting the efficacy of PDT for the treatment of keratoacanthomas (KA). We report a case-series of four patients with solitary KA confirmed by histology, treated with topical PDT with methylaminolevulinic acid (MAL) cream. After three sessions of PDT, the lesions completely disappeared. There was no evidence of recurrence and excellent cosmetic outcome was achieved after three years of follow-up. Topical photodynamic therapy with MAL can be a therapeutic alternative for KA with good clinical and cosmetic outcomes.

Topical photodynamic therapy with methylaminolevulinate for the treatment of actinic keratosis and reduction of photodamage in organ transplant recipients: a case-series of 16 patients.

BACKGROUND: Organ transplant recipients (OTR) are at high risk of developing cutaneous neoplasms. Topical photodynamic therapy (PDT) has been used for the treatment of actinic keratosis (AK) in OTR. AIMS: The objective was to evaluate the efficacy of PDT with methylaminolevulinate (MAL) in the treatment of facial AK in OTR. As a secondary objective, we wanted to evaluate the usefulness of topical PDT in the reduction of photodamage in OTR. METHODS: A prospective, single center, single arm study was made. 16 OTR were included. Topical PDT was applied for 1 or 2 cycles depending on the patient's characteristics. An evaluation of AK was made at visits pre-treatment, at 12 weeks and at 24 weeks. Photodamage was measured with multispectral image technique (SkinCare). RESULTS: A complete response rate of 100% was achieved for AK in all patients; it persisted without change at 12 and 24 weeks of follow-up. 62.5% of patients improved their photodamage as measured by SkinCare®, but this result was not statistically significant (P = 0.12). All patients had high level of satisfaction at the end of the therapy. CONCLUSIONS: MAL-PDT is an effective therapy for the treatment of AK in OTRs. It can reduce photodamage in this group of patients, but these results were not statistically significant.

Tratamiento de xantelasmas con quimioterapia tóxica / Treatment of xanthelasmas with toxic chemotherapy

Un total de 21 xantelasmas en los párpados (9 pacientes) fueron tratados con un preparado caústico de uso relativamente reciente. Dicha solución está constituida por una mezcla de ácidos orgánicos e inorgánicos, de manejo local e indicado para el tratamiento de diversas lesiones cutáneas. Los resultados obtenidos nos permiten apreciar buena tolerancia y efectos de este preparado en el tratamiento de los xantelasmas