title: Randomized, Controlled Trial of Fractional Carbon Dioxide Laser Resurfacing Followed by Ultrashort Incubation Aminolevulinic Acid Blue Light Photodynamic Therapy for Actinic Keratosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Aminolevulinic acid (ALA) photodynamic therapy (PDT) is an established treatment option for actinic keratosis (AK), and recently fractional carbon dioxide (CO2) laser was shown to improve outcomes; but studies of short incubation photosensitizer are lacking.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Assess the efficacy of short incubation ALA followed by blue light PDT with and without previous fractional CO2 treatment for the treatment of AK.
  
  
  METHODS
  Randomized, paired split-design, controlled trial of fractional CO2 followed by ultrashort 15-minute versus 30-minute incubation ALA and blue light PDT for the treatment of AK on the face.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The complete clearance rates (CRs) at 8 weeks after ALA PDT with and without FxCO2 at 30- and 15-minute ALA incubation times were 89.78% (+FxCO2) versus 71.20% CR (-FxCO2) at 30', and 86.38% (+FxCO2) versus 69.23% (-FxCO2) at 15' ALA incubation. All lesion improvements were statistically significant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This randomized, comparative paired group controlled clinical study demonstrates that ultrashort 15- and 30-minute incubation ALA PDTs are of limited efficacy for the treatment of AK. Pretreatment with fractional ablative resurfacing yields statistically significant greater AK clearance with ALA-PDT at ultrashort ALA incubations followed by blue light.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut; Dermatology and Laser Surgery Center, New York, New York.
authors.forename: Macrene
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Alexiades
mesh_terms: D000622:Aminolevulinic Acid / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004890:Erythema / Q000209:etiology; D004954:Esthetics; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D017495:Hyperpigmentation / Q000209:etiology; D055623:Keratosis, Actinic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000601:surgery*; D054020:Lasers, Gas / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain / Q000209:etiology; D010778:Photochemotherapy / Q000009:adverse effects; D017319:Photosensitizing Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D017319:Photosensitizing Agents; D000622:Aminolevulinic Acid