title: Photopheresis in the red man or pre-Sézary syndrome.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The beneficial effect of extracorporeal photochemotherapy has clearly been established for patients with cutaneous T-cell lymphoma with Sézary's syndrome. But this treatment has not been used in the red man syndrome or pre-Sézary syndrome. Some of these patients do not respond sufficiently or do not tolerate other therapies.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this open study was to evaluate the clinical efficacy of photopheresis in this group of patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seven patients with the red man syndrome were treated on 2 consecutive days every 4 weeks for 6-22 months. Six had been on systemic steroids and 3 had also received retinoids without sufficient effects. All were initially treated with topical nitrogen mustard but no longer tolerated this treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All signs of erythroderma disappeared in 6 of the 7 patients. All systemic therapy could be discontinued in all but 2 patients. No side effects were observed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Photopheresis may be an effective alternative treatment for this group of patients, when other types of therapy have failed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Marselisborg Hospital, Arhus, Denmark.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zachariae
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bjerring
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Brodthagen
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Søgaard
mesh_terms: D017255:Acitretin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000368:Aged; D003873:Dermatitis, Exfoliative / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000628:therapy*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008466:Mechlorethamine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008875:Middle Aged; D017893:Photopheresis; D011230:Precancerous Conditions / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000628:therapy*; D011241:Prednisone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012751:Sezary Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000628:therapy*; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000628:therapy*; D017211:Treatment Failure
chemical_list: D008466:Mechlorethamine; D017255:Acitretin; D011241:Prednisone