Introduction: Skin ulcers (SU) represent one of the most frequent manifestations of systemic sclerosis (SSc), occurring in almost 50% of scleroderma patients. SSc-SU are often particularly difficult to treat with conventional systemic and local therapies. In this study, a preliminary evaluation of the role and effectiveness of blue light photobiomodulation (PBM) therapy with EmoLED® in the treatment of scleroderma skin ulcers (SSc-SU) was performed. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 12 consecutive SSc patients with a total of 15 SU on finger hands. All patients were treated with adequate systemic therapy and local treatment for SU; after a standard skin ulcer bed preparation with debridement of all lesions, EmoLED® was performed. All patients were locally treated every week during 2 months of follow-up; SU data were collected after 4 weeks (T4) and 8 weeks (T8). Eight SSc patients with comparable SU were also evaluated as controls. Results: The application of EmoLED® in addition to debridement apparently produced faster healing of SU. Complete healing of SU was recorded in 41.6% cases during EmoLED® treatment. Significant improvements in SU area, length, and width, wound bed, and related pain were observed in EmoLED® patients from T0 to T8. Control subjects treated with standard systemic/local therapies merely showed an amelioration of SU area and width at the end of the follow-up. No procedural or post-procedural adverse events were reported. Conclusions: The positive clinical results and the absence of side effects suggest that EmoLED® could be a promising tool in the management of SSc-SU, with an interesting role to play in the healing process in addition to conventional systemic and local treatments.

Photobiomodulation Therapy: A New Light in the Treatment of Systemic Sclerosis Skin Ulcers / Spinella, Amelia; de Pinto, Marco; Galluzzo, Claudio; Testoni, Sofia; Macripò, Pierluca; Lumetti, Federica; Parenti, Luca; Magnani, Luca; Sandri, Gilda; Bajocchi, Gianluigi; Starnoni, Marta; De Santis, Giorgio; Salvarani, Carlo; Giuggioli, Dilia. - In: RHEUMATOLOGY AND THERAPY. - ISSN 2198-6576. - 9:3(2022), pp. 891-905. [10.1007/s40744-022-00438-9]

Photobiomodulation Therapy: A New Light in the Treatment of Systemic Sclerosis Skin Ulcers

Spinella, Amelia;de Pinto, Marco;Galluzzo, Claudio;Lumetti, Federica;Sandri, Gilda;Starnoni, Marta;De Santis, Giorgio;Salvarani, Carlo;Giuggioli, Dilia
2022

Abstract

Introduction: Skin ulcers (SU) represent one of the most frequent manifestations of systemic sclerosis (SSc), occurring in almost 50% of scleroderma patients. SSc-SU are often particularly difficult to treat with conventional systemic and local therapies. In this study, a preliminary evaluation of the role and effectiveness of blue light photobiomodulation (PBM) therapy with EmoLED® in the treatment of scleroderma skin ulcers (SSc-SU) was performed. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 12 consecutive SSc patients with a total of 15 SU on finger hands. All patients were treated with adequate systemic therapy and local treatment for SU; after a standard skin ulcer bed preparation with debridement of all lesions, EmoLED® was performed. All patients were locally treated every week during 2 months of follow-up; SU data were collected after 4 weeks (T4) and 8 weeks (T8). Eight SSc patients with comparable SU were also evaluated as controls. Results: The application of EmoLED® in addition to debridement apparently produced faster healing of SU. Complete healing of SU was recorded in 41.6% cases during EmoLED® treatment. Significant improvements in SU area, length, and width, wound bed, and related pain were observed in EmoLED® patients from T0 to T8. Control subjects treated with standard systemic/local therapies merely showed an amelioration of SU area and width at the end of the follow-up. No procedural or post-procedural adverse events were reported. Conclusions: The positive clinical results and the absence of side effects suggest that EmoLED® could be a promising tool in the management of SSc-SU, with an interesting role to play in the healing process in addition to conventional systemic and local treatments.
2022
9
3
891
905
Photobiomodulation Therapy: A New Light in the Treatment of Systemic Sclerosis Skin Ulcers / Spinella, Amelia; de Pinto, Marco; Galluzzo, Claudio; Testoni, Sofia; Macripò, Pierluca; Lumetti, Federica; Parenti, Luca; Magnani, Luca; Sandri, Gilda; Bajocchi, Gianluigi; Starnoni, Marta; De Santis, Giorgio; Salvarani, Carlo; Giuggioli, Dilia. - In: RHEUMATOLOGY AND THERAPY. - ISSN 2198-6576. - 9:3(2022), pp. 891-905. [10.1007/s40744-022-00438-9]
Spinella, Amelia; de Pinto, Marco; Galluzzo, Claudio; Testoni, Sofia; Macripò, Pierluca; Lumetti, Federica; Parenti, Luca; Magnani, Luca; Sandri, Gild...espandi
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11380/1270717
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