Case Series
Volume: 5 | Issue: 7 | Published: Jul 05, 2021 | Pages: 203 - 208 | DOI: 10.24911/ejmcr/173-1606794043
Photodynamic therapy for the treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis: a case series from Pakistan
Authors: Karim Khan , Aakif Ullah Khan , Banat Gul , Arif Ullah , Moiz Khan , Iftikhar Ahmad
Article Info
Authors
Karim Khan
Swat Institute of Nuclear Medicine, Oncology and Radiotherapy (SINOR), Swat, Pakistan
Aakif Ullah Khan
University of Malakand, Chakdara, Dir Lower, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
Banat Gul
Institute of Radiotherapy and Nuclear Medicine (IRNUM), Peshawar, Pakistan
Arif Ullah
Department of Basic Sciences, Military College of Engineering, National University of Science and Technology (NUST), Islamabad, Pakistan
Moiz Khan
University of Malakand, Chakdara, Dir Lower, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
Iftikhar Ahmad
Peshawar Medical College, Peshawar, Pakistan
Publication History
Received: January 09, 2021
Accepted: June 23, 2021
Published: July 05, 2021
Abstract
Background: Photodynamic therapy (PDT) offers an effective treatment in several dermatological disorders. Herein, PDT has been assessed for the treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) in a series of six patients from Pakistan. Cases Presentation: Six patients presenting with CL lesions at different face sites (i.e., cheek, nose, and lip) were treated with methylaminolevulinate-based PDT. The treatment was completed in three sessions, where a light dose of 75 J/cm2 was delivered through a low power (300 mW) red laser (wavelength = 635 nm) in each session. Results: The assessment of the disease at 10 months follow-up illustrated complete response in 5 patients, while partial response in 1 patient. Conclusion: This case series study demonstrated that PDT may offer a viable treatment option to the CL patients.
Keywords: cutaneous leishmaniasis, PDT, dermatology, laser therapy, protozoan parasite, green
