Quantitative echographic analysis of photochemotherapy on systemic sclerosis skin

Abstract

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a connective tissue disease of unknown etiology, in which development of fibrosis, vascular insufficiency and inflammatory processes are prominent in the skin as well as in other organs. We studied the effect of photochemotherapy with quantitative echography in SSc. Dermal echo intensity and dermal thickness was measured using high-frequency dermal echography before and after therapy. The dermal echo intensity after photochemotherapy (33.51+/-9.34) significantly increased than that before therapy (21.23+/-6.00) (P < 0.01), while dermal thickness (1.20+/-0.20) significantly decreased than that before therapy (1.38+/-0.18) (P < 0.05). Photochemotherapy was more likely to improve dermal edema, not fibrosis, because echo intensity after treatment was significantly elevated with that before treatment in patients with edema. Quantitative echographic analysis was concluded to be a reliable method in evaluating the change of skin edema in SSc.

A randomized controlled study of low-dose UVA1, medium-dose UVA1, and narrowband UVB phototherapy in the treatment of localized scleroderma

“…The 20-MHz ultrasound has been demonstrated to be a reliable method in evaluating changes in sclerotic skin diseases. 21 The optimal date for posttreatment ultrasound measurements in LS needs further investigation, because 20-MHz scanning to a later point of time after phototherapy revealed clearer results. 8 To our knowledge, this was the first study investigating the overall efficacy of NB UVB in patients with LS.…”

Extracorporeal photopheresis: Past, present, and future

“…Small pilot studies indicated that ECP had beneficial clinical effects in patients with systemic sclerosis, 15,16 and could normalize collagen synthesis in the skin, 17 reduce dermal edema, 18 and improve skin elasticity. 16 Nevertheless, clinical results are highly variable.…”

The use of doppler ultrasound to evaluate lesions of localized scleroderma

“…High reliability of these types of ultrasound measurements has been reported. In one study, scans of normal controls and stable SSc patients showed no signifi cant difference in measurements of dermal thickness or echogenicity level when repeated 7 days later (thickness, 1.31 ± 0.13 mm and 1.35 ± 0.15 mm; echogenicity, 28.83 ± 6.77 and 28.57 ± 7.04) [13].…”