Clinical Trial: Treatment of Cutaneous Lupus Erythematosus (CLE) With the 595 nm Flashlamp Pulsed Dye Laser

Study Status: Completed
Recruit Status: Completed
Study Type: Interventional

Official Title: Single Blind, Controlled, Single-Center Study of Laser Treatment in Cutaneous Lupus Erythematosus

Brief Summary: The purpose of using the 595 nm Vbeam Perfecta™ flashlamp-excited, pulsed dye laser in this study is to help improve study patients' skin disease. Cutaneous lupus erythematosus (CLE) often presents with disfiguring vascular lesions which are frequently difficult to treat with the available therapeutic measures, such as photoprotection, topical steroids, and antimalarials. Laser therapy provides an alternative treatment option for CLE patients. Although there has been documented experience with laser treatment in CLE patients, no study comparing treated lesions to the natural course of the disease has been conducted.

Detailed Summary:

The Candela Vbeam PerfectaTM is an FDA approved 595nm Flashlamp Pulsed Dye Laser (PDL) that is being used for the treatment of benign skin lesions. The purpose of using the PDL in this study is to help improve study patients' skin disease. Cutaneous Lupus Erythematosus often starts with damaging skin lesions which are frequently difficult to treat with the available therapeutic measures. This study will use a flashlamp PDL to compare treated cutaneous lesions and non-treated lesions. We will look at factors such as the degree of erythema (redness of the skin), scale and hypertrophy (increase in size of skin), scarring and dyspigmentation (abnormality in the formation or distribution of skin coloration) and make a summary score of these factors.

It is important to note that this device currently is being used to treat patients with skin lesions in the Department of Dermatology at the University of Pennsylvania, where this study will be done. Although the PDL has been used to treat other patients, its use in this study is experimental.

The PDL is considered to be the laser of choice for vascular lesions, because at wavelengths of 585-595 nm, the laser is known to produce excellent clinical results at minimal risk to patients. The laser has been used successfully in the treatment of port-wine stains in children as young as 1 month of age. The PDL is designed to deliver an intense but gentle burst of laser light to the skin. The light is absorbed by the blood vessels in the vascular lesion, while leaving the surrounding tissue undamaged. The PDL has been used clinically for the treatment of cutaneous lesions in childhood port-wine stains, childhood proliferative angiomas, facial telangiectasias, poikiloderma of Civatte, nevus flammeus, capillary hemangiomas, scars, verrucae, and lupus erythematosus. Several studies are known t
Sponsor: University of Pennsylvania

Current Primary Outcome: Comparison of laser treated CLE skin lesions with a non-treated control CLE lesion of the same patient evaluated by the CLASI (Cutaneous Lupus Erythematosus Disease Area and Severity Index) and the M-CLASI (Modified CLASI). [ Time Frame: One year ]

Original Primary Outcome: Comparison of laser treated CLE skin lesions with a non-treated control CLE lesion of the same patient evaluated by the CLASI (Cutaneous Lupus Erythematosus Disease Area and Severity Index) and the M-CLASI (Modified CLASI).

Current Secondary Outcome:

  • Pain and itch relief compared to baseline and between the treated and untreated lesion [ Time Frame: One Year ]
  • Reduction or increase in CLASI and MCLASI scores compared to baseline, and adverse events [ Time Frame: One year ]


Original Secondary Outcome:

  • Pain and itch relief compared to baseline and between the treated and untreated lesion
  • Reduction or increase in CLASI and MCLASI scores compared to baseline, and adverse events


Information By: University of Pennsylvania

Dates:
Date Received: August 30, 2007
Date Started: March 2007
Date Completion:
Last Updated: June 24, 2010
Last Verified: January 2010