title: Comparison of treatment of cherry angiomata with pulsed-dye laser, potassium titanyl phosphate laser, and electrodesiccation: a randomized controlled trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the comparative efficacy of energy treatments in resolving cherry angiomata.
  
  
  METHODS
  Rater-blinded randomized controlled trial.
  
  
  METHODS
  Outpatient dermatology clinic in an urban referral academic medical center.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifteen healthy adults aged 21 to 65 years were enrolled. Two eligible individuals who were approached declined to participate, and no one enrolled was withdrawn for adverse effects.
  
  
  METHODS
  For each participant, 3 areas on the torso were demarcated such that each area contained 4 cherry angiomata. Each area was then randomly assigned to receive 1 of the 3 treatments: pulsed-dye laser (PDL) (595 nm), potassium titanyl phosphate (KTP) laser (532 nm), or electrodesiccation. Two treatments spaced 2 weeks apart were delivered to each area.
  
  
  METHODS
  Standardized photographs from before treatment and 3 months after the last treatment were evaluated for color and texture on visual analog scales.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean change in color was a significant improvement of 7.77 (P<.001), but there was no significant difference across treatment arms (P=.19). Mean change in texture was a significant improvement of 6.23 (P<.001), and the degree of textural change also differed across treatments (P<.001). In pairwise comparisons, cherry angiomata treated with electrodesiccation were significantly less improved than were those receiving KTP laser (P=.003) and those treated with PDL (P=.001). The effects of KTP laser and PDL on texture were not different (P=.50).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cherry angiomata can be effectively treated with electrodesiccation and with laser. Laser, especially PDL, may minimize the likelihood of treatment-associated textural change. Trial Registration clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT00509977.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, 676 N St Clair St, Ste 1600, Chicago, IL 60611, USA.
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Collyer
authors.forename: Susan L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Boone
authors.forename: Lucile E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: White
authors.forename: Alfred
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rademaker
authors.forename: Dennis P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: West
authors.forename: Kyle
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.forename: Natalie A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Scott
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Simon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yoo
authors.forename: Murad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Alam
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000798:Angiomatosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D003890:Desiccation / Q000379:methods*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004598:Electrosurgery / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D053685:Laser Therapy / Q000295:instrumentation*; D054025:Lasers, Dye / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D053844:Lasers, Solid-State / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult