Infrared-mediated hyperthermia is effective in the treatment of scleroderma-associated Raynaud's phenomenon

TY - JOUR

T1 - Infrared-mediated hyperthermia is effective in the treatment of scleroderma-associated Raynaud's phenomenon

AU - Foerster, John

AU - Fleischanderl, Susanne

AU - Wittstock, Stefan

AU - Storch, Annegret

AU - Meffert, Hans

AU - Riemekasten, Gabriela

AU - Worm, Margitta

N1 - dc.publisher: Nature Publishing Group dc.description.sponsorship: Deutsches Netzwerk für Sklerodermie

PY - 2005/12

Y1 - 2005/12

N2 - To the Editor: Scleroderma is a systemic autoimmune disease featuring variable organ involvement as well as Raynaud's phenomenon (RP). To date, no studies exist on the effect of systemic body temperature elevation on the severity of RP. Water-filtered near-infrared (infrared A (IRA)) irradiation is particularly effective in transdermal heat delivery (Meffert and Sonnichsen, 1974;Meffert et al, 1989;Meffert and Meffert, 2000). Prompted by preliminary findings (Meffert et al, 1990), we here examined the effect of IRA treatment on RP. We employed fingertip rewarming in response to cold challenge (Wise et al, 2004;Foerster et al, in press) as well as a clinical activity score (Merkel et al, 2002) as outcome variables. In addition, we explored the effect of IRA treatment on skin thickness and scleroderma-associated joint pain. Methods, a study flow chart, as well as immediate effects of IRA treatment are detailed in the online supplement. Because of the specified inclusion criteria (see Tables S1–S3), patients were in stable-disease phase.

AB - To the Editor: Scleroderma is a systemic autoimmune disease featuring variable organ involvement as well as Raynaud's phenomenon (RP). To date, no studies exist on the effect of systemic body temperature elevation on the severity of RP. Water-filtered near-infrared (infrared A (IRA)) irradiation is particularly effective in transdermal heat delivery (Meffert and Sonnichsen, 1974;Meffert et al, 1989;Meffert and Meffert, 2000). Prompted by preliminary findings (Meffert et al, 1990), we here examined the effect of IRA treatment on RP. We employed fingertip rewarming in response to cold challenge (Wise et al, 2004;Foerster et al, in press) as well as a clinical activity score (Merkel et al, 2002) as outcome variables. In addition, we explored the effect of IRA treatment on skin thickness and scleroderma-associated joint pain. Methods, a study flow chart, as well as immediate effects of IRA treatment are detailed in the online supplement. Because of the specified inclusion criteria (see Tables S1–S3), patients were in stable-disease phase.

KW - Infrared radiation

KW - Hyperthermia

KW - Raynaud Disease therapy

KW - Scleroderma

U2 - 10.1111/j.0022-202X.2005.23938.x

DO - 10.1111/j.0022-202X.2005.23938.x

M3 - Letter

SN - 0022-202X

VL - 125

SP - 1313

EP - 1316

JO - Journal of Investigative Dermatology

JF - Journal of Investigative Dermatology

IS - 6

ER -