Photochemotherapy for localized morphoea: effect on clinical and molecular markers.
BACKGROUND
Effective treatment options for morphoea remain limited. As a result, there has been increasing interest in the role of phototherapy in the management of this condition. Aims. We report the findings of a study in which 13 patients with localized morphoea were treated with oral (n = 11) and topical (n = 2) psoralen ultraviolet (PUVA) phototherapy.


METHODS
The clinical effect on disease activity was assessed using a skin score adapted from the modified Rodnan score. The effect on serological and immunohistochemical markers was also measured.


RESULTS
In total, 11/13 patients showed an improvement in their skin score after phototherapy, with the mean reduction in score being 62.9% (P = 0.003, Wilcoxon signed rank test). After treatment with PUVA, there was a fall in circulating levels of vascular cell adhesion molecule in 10/13 patients (P = 0.059) and a significant increase in tumour necrosis factor-alpha in 9 of 13 patients (P = 0.036). In the five patients in whom CD3 and CD4 was measured, all showed a reduction in CD3 (P = 0.025), with a fall in CD4 (P = 0.046) seen in four of the five patients.


CONCLUSIONS
PUVA is associated with clinical improvement in patients with morphoea, as shown by significant improvement in the skin score. However, in one patient who had been simultaneously started on ciclosporin, this improvement could not be attributed to the phototherapy alone. Although the sample size was small, we also found that certain lymphocyte markers, adhesion molecules and cytokines are affected by this treatment, helping to further clarify the mechanism of action of PUVA treatment.
Usmani
N
N
Department of Dermatology, Leeds General Infirmary, Leeds, UK. nailausmani@hotmail.com
Murphy
A
A
Veale
D
D
Goulden
V
V
Goodfield
M
M
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D017252:CD3 Complex / Q000032:analysis; D015704:CD4 Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011701:PUVA Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012594:Scleroderma, Localized / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D012867:Skin / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood
D015415:Biomarkers; D017252:CD3 Complex; D015704:CD4 Antigens; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1