CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF EXTRACORPOREAL PHOTOCHEMOTHERAPY IN COMPLEX TREATMENT OF LOCALIZED SCLERODERMA

Abstract

Background: Scleroderma is an autoimmune disease with progressing lesions of connective tissue where fibrosclerotic and vascular disturbances prevail. Lacking of the united concept of its pathogenesis significantly hampers elaboration of pathogenetic methods of treatment. Conventional methods of treatment of localized scleroderma have insufficient clinical effectiveness, lead to remission of short duration, have a series of side effects and complications. Aim: To raise the efficiency of the focal scleroderma treatment with a complex therapy including a method of extracorporeal photochemotherapy (EPCT). Materials and methods: A total of 19 patients with plaque or linear types of localized scleroderma underwent complex treatment including EPCT. All patients had a steadfast progressing course of the disease with generalized lesions, the signs of early systemic scleroderma being revealed in 3 of them. EPCT-method is based on the photo-sensitizing effect of 8-methoxypsoralene and ultraviolet А radiation of mononuclear cells which were separated using cytopheresis further followed with reinfusion. Every course included 4 exposures implemented every other day. Repeated therapeutic course was set in 3 months. Results: All patients satisfactorily tolerated EPCT procedure without side effects and complications. After 3 therapeutic courses, the disease progression was arrested in all patients, the density of scleroderma foci was diminished, approximately, by 50% as compared to the initial level. The crown of the peripheral growth completely disappeared, and the sizes of the disease foci decreased. The more pronounced clinical effect was achieved in patients with disease duration not exceeding 3 years. Conclusion: The proposed method was efficient in treatment of localized scleroderma and might be applied as an adjuvant therapy.