Oral calcitriol as a new therapeutic modality for generalized morphea

Scleroderma

“…Another approach is to use calcitriol (vitamin D 3 ) 0.25–0.50 μg twice a day for 6–12 months. Although calcitriol appears to be well tolerated, we have not observed the dramatic improvement described in the original three cases (14).…”

Treatment of Linear Scleroderma with Oral 1,25‐Dihydroxyvitamin D3 (Calcitriol) in Seven Children

“…Hulshof et al. ( 10) observed some beneficial effect of calcitriol treatment in three patients with generalized morphea. To our knowledge there are no reports available of children with scleroderma who were treated with calcitriol.…”

“…Accumulation of collagen is generated by an increase in the number of metabolically active fibroblasts and an increase in collagen synthesis ( 11). These fibroblasts (in vitro) were shown to synthesize collagen at a faster than normal rate ( 10). Calcitriol was demonstrated to cause a dose‐dependent inhibition of fibroblast proliferation and collagen synthesis.…”

“…Oral calcitriol (Rocaltrol®, Roche) was given at a dose of 0.25 μg/day in the first week, according to the protocol described by Hulshof et al. ( 10). This dose was increased every week to reach 0.75 μg/day during the third week.…”

Progressive Hemifacial Atrophy with Linear Scleroderma

“…Various therapeutic modalities (e.g., topical and pharmacologic agents, immunosupression, physiotherapy, and phototherapy) have been suggested (28). Recently, the beneficial effects of 1.25‐dihydroxyvitamin D 3 (calcitriol) were reported in adults(29–31) and in children (32) with linear scleroderma. Elst et al (32) assessed the efficacy of oral calcitriol treatment in seven pediatric patients with linear scleroderma.…”