Jennifer Gale(847) 240-1730[email protected]
Julie Bremer(847) 240-1743[email protected]EMBARGOED UNTIL OCTOBER 17, 2001
NEW TREATMENT OFFERS HOPE FOR IMPROVING QUALITY OF LIFE FOR MILLIONS OF AMERICANS WITH PSORIASIS
NEW YORK (October 17, 2001) -- For the six to seven million Americans with the chronic skin condition psoriasis, being uncomfortable on the outside often mirrors the sufferer's sense of self-esteem on the inside. While there are many treatments for psoriasis, there is no known cure. Individuals searching for relief collectively spend over $3 billion a year on remedies that may provide only temporary or minimal improvement. Now, thanks to research pioneered primarily by dermatologic surgeons, a new laser treatment shows promising results in treating psoriasis.
Speaking today at the American Academy of Dermatology's Derm Update 2001, dermatologist Kenneth Arndt, MD, Clinical Professor of Dermatology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass., discussed the effectiveness of the excimer laser in initial studies of patients with psoriasis.
Psoriasis is a recurring, noncontagious skin condition that is characterized by raised, thickened patches of red skin covered with silvery-white scales that may or may not itch and, in some cases, can cause disfigurement. Psoriasis varies in severity and can affect any part of the body, including the nails and the scalp. Each year, about 150,000 to 260,000 new cases of psoriasis are diagnosed, making it the second most common skin disorder in the United States.
"Like many skin conditions, psoriasis won't kill you -- but it can certainly ruin your life," said Dr. Arndt. "Since psoriasis is a chronic, recurrent skin condition with marginally effective treatments, it constantly affects peoples' lives. While the patches of skin affected may not always cause pain or discomfort, they are often visible and can make a person self-conscious in social situations."
The excimer laser -- also known as narrow band laser phototherapy -- delivers high intensity ultraviolet radiation to localized areas of psoriatic plaques. Rather than flood the unaffected skin with ultraviolet light, this laser enables the dermatologist to direct the treatment only to affected areas of the skin. Since indirect damage to healthy skin is avoided, this permits much stronger treatment dosages than are possible using conventional ultraviolet B or PUVA treatments. With PUVA treatments, the entire surface of the skin was radiated at the same time as the psoriatic plaques, which could lead to sunburns and serious long-term side effects of chronic exposure to ultraviolet light such as skin cancer and premature aging.
An initial study using the excimer laser in a multi-center trial of 80 psoriasis patients has proven successful. The study found that 72 percent of the patients achieved at least 75 percent clearing of their psoriasis with an average of 6.2 treatments, and 84 percent of patients also experienced at least 75 percent clearing after 10 treatments or less. In addition, half of the patients achieved 90 percent improvement after less than 10 treatments.
"In general, patients responded well to this treatment and experienced significant improvement in their condition," reported Dr. Arndt. "While the treatments were generally well tolerated, some side effects did occur such as redness, occasional blistering and some residual hyperpigmentation."
Treatments with the excimer laser are administered in a physician's office two times a week for about four weeks -- for a total of six to 10 treatments. Compared to other phototherapy treatments, this laser procedure requires significantly less of the patient's time. Substantial clearing with conventional ultraviolet B treatments takes an average of 20-25 exposures over a six-to-eight week period, while similar clearing with the excimer laser can be achieved in less than half that time.
Another potential advantage of the excimer laser is that it allows the physician to initiate treatments at much higher levels without long-term buildup of tolerance to UV radiation. With conventional ultraviolet light treatment, the dosage is increased by approximately 10 percent per treatment. However, with laser phototherapy, dosing of the psoriasis lesions starts initially at a much higher minimum dosage than it takes to induce redness on the skin and continues to increase throughout the course of treatment.
"The excimer laser is a major advance in alleviating the discomfort and emotional stress of psoriasis," added Dr. Arndt. "Treatments are safe, quick and effective. While conventional therapies can still be successful at treating psoriasis, I think the excimer laser will appeal to patients with mild to moderate conditions who have given up therapy because they have found other treatments to be too messy, ineffective or expensive."
The American Academy of Dermatology, founded in 1938, is the largest, most influential, and most representative of all dermatologic associations. With a membership of over 13,000 dermatologists worldwide, the Academy is committed to: advancing the diagnosis and medical, surgical, and cosmetic treatment of the skin, hair and nails; advocating high standards in clinical practice, education, and research in dermatology; supporting and enhancing patient care for a lifetime of healthier skin. For more information, contact the AAD at 1-888-462-DERM or www.aad.org.
The American Society for Dermatologic Surgery (ASDS) was founded in 1970 to promote excellence in the field of dermatologic surgery and to foster the highest standards of patient care. The Society supports clinical and basic science research grants, provides professional continuing education of its members, and sponsors public education programs related to cosmetic, therapeutic and reconstructive skin surgery. For more information on dermatologic surgery procedures and referrals to board-certified doctors in specific geographic areas, please contact the ASDS Consumer Hotline, 1-800-441-ASDS (2737), during weekday business hours or log on at www.aboutskinsurgery.com.
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