Irradiation with Water-Filtered Infrared A plus Visible Light Improves Cutaneous Scleroderma Lesions in a Series of Cases

Abstract

Background: Cutaneous scleroderma is a chronic inflammatory disease of the dermal and subcutaneous connective tissue leading to sclerosis. Sclerosis of the skin can lead to dysmorphism, contractures and restrictions of movement. Objective: The purpose of the study was to evaluate sclerosis in cutaneous scleroderma patients and to determine the efficacy of water-filtered infrared A plus visible light treatment, wIRA(+VIS), in 10 patients. Methods: Hardness of the normal and diseased skin was measured by durometry in 10 controls and 8 patients. Moreover, circumscribed scleroderma (CS) was treated with wIRA(+VIS) irradiations in 10 patients who had not responded to conventional therapies. Results: wIRA(+VIS) therapy led to a marked improvement, persistent even during long-term follow-up, in 7 out of 10 patients with CS. Of the other patients, 1 showed decreased sclerosis and disease activity and developed a worsening after cessation of therapy. In 2 further patients, where previous UVA1 treatment had failed to reduce disease activity, wIRA(+VIS) produced a slight decrease in sclerosis, but disease activity was still present. Conclusion: wIRA(+VIS) appears to be effective in the treatment of CS. Durometry proved to be helpful in assessing the degree of sclerosis and in documenting the response to therapy in these patients.

Efficient Low‐Temperature Solution‐Processed Lead‐Free Perovskite Infrared Light‐Emitting Diodes

“…Although massive consumer electronics employ visible light sources because of the high light sensitivity of human eyes in the visible spectral region, we communicate information, visualize threats to our safety at night, detect the presence of nearby objects, and treat injures, wounds, and ulcers by means of infrared light . For deep‐tissue and noninvasive in vivo optical imaging applications, the most significant feature of infrared light is its maximum depth of penetration in biological tissues of ≈5–10 cm in the range of wavelengths from 650 to 1350 nm, which is referred to as biological window, optical window, or therapeutic window .…”

Phototherapy in Scleroderma

“…Highest UVA dose per treatment mean was 3.5 J/cm 2 Mean 53.5UnavailableMean 25 (range 14–39)Marked improvement in softening of sclerotic plaques in all patientsUnknownPasic et al [89]Case series10SclerodermaWater-filtered infrared A plus visible light treatmentTotal irradiance was 180–200 mW/cm 2 . Treatment was done 2–5 times a week.UnavailableUnavailable16–48Seven patients reported improvement, follow-up was 1–7.5 years after treatmentUnknownVon Felbert et al [90]Case report16/FNodular morpheaPUVA topicalUnavailable2.32UnavailableUnavailableSlight improvement of regression of nodules. The patient was lost to follow-upPenicillin G for 10 daysKauer et al [91]Case report12/FLocalized sclerodermaPUVA topical0.2–4.0 J/cm 2 to total dose of 62.8 J/cm 2 .…”

Heat for wounds – water-filtered infrared-A (wIRA) for wound healing – a review

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