Clinical Application of Low Reactive Level Laser Therapy (LLLT) for Atopic Dermatitis

Abstract

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is one of the common chronic skin diseases in which a variety of immunological disturbances have been described. Cyclosporin A, gamma interferon, and interleukin 2 were recently suggested for the management of the disease. They all act on some component of the immunological mechanism which provoke eczematous reactions. But because of side effects, we do not use these therapies as our first choice. Steroid ointment is still widely used for the treatment of AD. Steroid rosacea somtimes appears during the prolonged application of steroids. In the present study, we used a GaAlAs 830nm diode laser for treatment of patients with atopic dermatitis. Immunohistological examination was also performed before and after LLLT. The following results were obtained. 1) Itchy sensation decreased in 79 of 112 cases (71%) after this therapy. 2) Skin eruptions improved in 69 of 112 cases (62%). 3)There were no side effects during and after LLLT. 4) Major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II antigen and intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM)-1 expression on epidermal cells decreased after the therapy. 5) The number of CD1 positive epidermal dendritic cells did not significantly change before and after LLLT.