title: Treatment of localized scleroderma and lichen sclerosus with etretinate.
abstract: Eight patients with lichen sclerosus and 8 patients with localized scleroderma were treated with etretinate (Tigason) at doses of 0.5 mg/kg body weight for between 3 and 12 months: 2 of 3 patients with juvenile type lichen sclerosus cleared, whereas the lesions of 5 patients with balanitis xerotica obliterans, kraurosis vulvae and extragenital lichen sclerosus were unchanged or even progredient. 2 of the patients with localized scleroderma cleared with slight atrophy. The lesions of 5 others failed to resolve but progression was halted under continued therapy; after drug withdrawal, the lesions resumed progression in 2 patients. We conclude that only moderate therapeutic effects can be achieved with etretinate in both lichen sclerosus and localized scleroderma.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001446:Balanitis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002648:Child; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005050:Etretinate / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012594:Scleroderma, Localized / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy*; D007724:Vulvar Lichen Sclerosus / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D005050:Etretinate