Treatment of genito-anal lesions in inflammatory skin diseases with PUVA cream photochemotherapy: an open pilot study in 12 patients.

BACKGROUND

Localized skin lesions of the genito-anal region such as in lichen sclerosus et atrophicus or in lichen planus are a burden for many patients, and therapeutic efforts, including therapies with potentially hazardous side-effects, are often unsatisfactory. Recently, PUVA bath photochemotherapy has been proven highly effective in the treatment of various inflammatory skin diseases, including localized scleroderma. Another form of topical PUVA therapy, 8-methoxypsoralen-containing cream or gel preparations, has been proven to be as effective as PUVA bath therapy for palmoplantar dermatoses.

OBJECTIVE

We evaluated the clinical effects of PUVA cream photochemotherapy in patients with genital lesions of inflammatory skin diseases.

METHODS

Twelve patients with lichen sclerosus et atrophicus, lichen planus, vulvar eczema and pruritus vulvae were included in the study. PUVA cream therapy was performed up to 4 times a week.

RESULTS

PUVA cream photochemotherapy induced a significant clinical improvement of genital lesions in most patients, as revealed by clinical examination. Clinical improvement (reduction in size of lesions of erythema, and/or of pruritus) was achieved in most patients after 10-20 treatments and was reduced in patients that had only received 5-15 treatments. Cumulative doses ranged between 4.5 and 180 J/cm(2); all patients tolerated PUVA cream phototherapy well without any side-effects.

CONCLUSIONS

PUVA cream phototherapy represents a highly effective therapy that should be further investigated as an alternative treatment for patients with genital lesions of inflammatory skin diseases.