title: Bath psoralen-UVA photochemotherapy for localized scleroderma: experience from a single institute.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Localized scleroderma (LS) comprises a spectrum of sclerotic autoimmune diseases primarily affecting the dermis. Various treatment modalities have been recommended for the management of LS, but only a few studies exist regarding the efficacy of bath PUVA photochemotherapy in the treatment of LS.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the efficacy of bath PUVA photochemotherapy in the management of LS in a retrospective study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-eight patients (23 women and five men) with a diagnosis of LS, confirmed by histology, were included in the study. Patients were treated with a thrice-weekly regimen of bath immersion in 0.2 mg/1 water solution of 8-methoxypsoralen, followed by irradiation with UVA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eleven patients (39%) showed complete remission (complete softening of the sclerotic plaques with or without postinflammatory hyper- or hypopigmentation) after a mean of 71 treatments (range 33-170) and a mean cumulative dose of 115 J/cm(2) (range 11-232). Partial softening and regression of the sclerotic plaques was observed in 14 patients (50%). Three patients (10.7%) showed no effect, and in none of the patients was worsening noted during treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In our experience, bath PUVA photochemotherapy is an effective and well-tolerated treatment option for LS and should be considered as one of the first-line treatment modalities.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Psoriasis and Phototherapy Centre, Sheba Medical Centre, Tel Hashomer, Israel. felixp@post.tau.ac.il
authors.forename: Felix
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pavlotsky
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sakka
authors.forename: Alina
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lozinski
authors.forename: Aviv
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Barzilai
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001494:Baths; D002648:Child; D020405:Dermis / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008730:Methoxsalen / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011701:PUVA Therapy; D017319:Photosensitizing Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D045745:Scleroderma, Limited / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D017319:Photosensitizing Agents; D008730:Methoxsalen
keywords: bath PUVA; localized scleroderma; photochemotherapy