Ann Dermatol.  2013 May;25(2):163-167. 10.5021/ad.2013.25.2.163.

The Effects of 830 nm Light-Emitting Diode Therapy on Acute Herpes Zoster Ophthalmicus: A Pilot Study

• Park KY
• Han TY
• Kim IS
• Yeo IK
• Kim BJ
• Kim MN

• KMID: 2171783
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5021/ad.2013.25.2.163

Abstract

BACKGROUND
Skin lesions and pain are the most distinctive features of herpes zoster. Light-emitting diode (LED) therapy is an effective treatment known for its wound-healing effects.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether the LED treatment affects wound healing and acute pain in acute herpes zoster ophthalmicus.
METHODS
We recruited 28 consecutive Korean patients with acute herpes zoster ophthalmicus for the study. In the control group (group A), 14 subjects received oral famcyclovir. In the experimental group (group B), 14 subjects received oral famcyclovir and 830 nm LED phototherapy on days 0, 4, 7, and 10. In order to estimate the time for wound healing, we measured the duration from the vesicle formation to when the lesion crust fell off. The visual analogue scale (VAS) was used for the estimation of pain on days 4, 7, 10, and 14.
RESULTS
The mean time required for wound healing was 13.14+/-2.34 days in group B and 15.92+/-2.55 days in group A (p=0.006). From day 4, the mean VAS score showed a greater improvement in group B, compared with group A. A marginal but not statistically significant difference in the VAS scores was observed between the two groups (p=0.095).
CONCLUSION
LED treatment for acute herpes zoster ophthalmicus leads to faster wound healing and a lower pain score.

Keyword

Herpes zoster ophthalmicus; Light-emitting diode

MeSH Terms

Acute Pain
Herpes Zoster
Herpes Zoster Ophthalmicus
Humans
Phototherapy
Pilot Projects
Skin
Wound Healing

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Mean duration from vesicle formation to when the lesion crust fell off.

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  Fig. 2 Repeated measures of mean VAS scores of the control and experimental groups from day 0 to 14. Differences in VAS were marginally significant between the two groups according to the repeated measure of ANOVA (p=0.095). VAS: visual analogue scale.

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  Fig. 3 The control group (group A). (A) Erythematous grouped vesicles appeared in a unilateral fashion following right ophthalmic division of the trigeminal nerve. (B) Three weeks after the LED treatment, the skin lesion moderately improved, but there still remained the erythematous scarring and hyperpigmentation. LED: light-emitting diode.

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  Fig. 4 The experimental group (group B). (A) Grouped vesicles and crust appeared in a unilateral fashion following left ophthalmic division of the trigeminal nerve, involving primarily the left forehead, which were extended to ipsilateral nose at the baseline. (B) 3 weeks after the LED treatment, the skin lesion markedly improved. LED: light-emitting diode.

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