NCT00129428

Ultraviolet B (UVB) Light Therapy in the Treatment of Skin Conditions With Altered Dermal Matrix

The Effectiveness of UVB Irradiation in the Treatment of Skin Conditions With Altered Dermal Matrix: An Open Pilot Study

• Status: Completed
• Phase: Phase 1 / Phase 2
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 33 (actual)
• Sponsor: University of Michigan · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 10 Years – 80 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

This research study will evaluate the effectiveness of high dose UVB light therapy in the treatment of keloid (or hypertrophic scar), scleroderma, acne keloidalis nuchae, old burn scars, granuloma annulare or related conditions.

Detailed description

Keloid, scleroderma, acne keloidalis nuchae, and burn scars are all characterized by collagenous thickening of the skin resulting in superficial and deep cutaneous sclerosis. Treatments for these disabling conditions are inadequate at present. Recently, in non-controlled studies, UVA1 was shown to induce improvement in patients with scleroderma, granuloma annulare and urticaria pigmentosa. However, UVA1 is unable to penetrate pigmented skin at an effective level to activate matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs). The investigators' preliminary data show that high dose UVB (160 mJ/cm2) will penetrate pigmented skin and activate the cellular pathways necessary to stimulate MMPs. They postulate, therefore, that in pigmented skin, higher than usual UVB doses can improve these fibrosing skin conditions safely through collagenase-mediated removal of excess dermal collagen via activation of MMP pathways. The purpose of this research project is to study the effectiveness of high dose UVB (290-320nm at up to 320mJ/cm2) irradiation for the treatment of skin conditions with altered dermal matrix in patients with increased skin pigmentation. These disorders include but are not limited to keloid (or hypertrophic scar), scleroderma, acne keloidalis nuchae, old burn scars, and granuloma annulare. Up to fifty patients with one of these diagnoses or related conditions will receive UVB irradiation up to 5 times per week, for 16 weeks.

Conditions

• Keloid
• Scleroderma, Localized
• Acne Keloidalis
• Scars
• Granuloma Annulare

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
PROCEDURE	UVB Irradiation	A dose of up to 320 mJ/cm2 from a UVB irradiation device will be administered at maximum 5 times per week for 16 weeks.

Timeline

• Start date: 2002-08-01
• Primary completion: 2009-01-01
• Completion: 2009-01-01
• First posted: 2005-08-11
• Last updated: 2015-05-01

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United States