Pulsed dye laser vs. intense pulsed light for port-wine stains: a randomized side-by-side trial with blinded response evaluation. Prospective study of port wine stain treatment with dye laser: comparison of two wavelengths (585 nm vs. 595 nm) and two pulse durations (0.5 milliseconds vs. 20 milliseconds). The treatment of port-wine stains with the pulsed-dye laser at 2-week and 6-week intervals: a comparative study. Prospective study of pulsed dye laser in conjunction with cryogen spray cooling for treatment of port wine stains in Chinese patients. Long-pulsed neodymium:yttrium-aluminum-garnet laser treatment for port-wine stains.
Pulsed dye lasers (PDLs) are considered the treatment of choice for port-wine stains (PWS). Studies have suggested broadband intense pulsed light (IPL) to be efficient as well. So far, no studies have directly compared the PDL with IPL in a randomized clinical trial.
                To compare efficacy and adverse events of PDL and IPL in an intraindividual randomized clinical trial.
                Twenty patients with PWS (face, trunk, extremities; pink, red and purple colours; skin types I-III) received one side-by-side treatment with PDL (V-beam Perfecta, 595 nm, 0.45-1.5 ms; Candela Laser Corporation, Wayland, MA, U.S.A.) and IPL (StarLux, Lux G prototype handpiece, 500-670 and 870-1400 nm, 5-10 ms; Palomar Medical Technologies, Burlington, MA, U.S.A.). Settings depended on the preoperative lesional colour. Treatment outcome was evaluated by blinded, clinical evaluations and by skin reflectance measurements.
                Both PDL and IPL lightened PWS. Median clinical improvements were significantly better for PDL (65%) than IPL (30%) (P = 0.0004). A higher proportion of patients obtained good or excellent clearance rates with the PDL (75%) compared with IPL (30%) (P = 0.0104). Skin reflectance also documented better results after PDL (33% lightening) than IPL (12% lightening) (P = 0.002). Eighteen of 20 patients preferred to receive continued treatments with PDL (P = 0.0004). No adverse events were observed with PDL or IPL.
                Both the specific PDL and IPL types of equipment used in this study lightened PWS and both were safe with no adverse events. However, the PDL conveyed the advantages of better efficacy and higher patient preference. The conventional pulsed-dye laser (wavelength 585 nm, pulse duration 0.5 milliseconds) is seen as the standard treatment for port wine stains (PWS). Using the pulsed-dye laser at wavelengths of 590, 595, and 600 nm and at varying pulse durations of 1.5-40 milliseconds is one of the newest developments in the field, the therapeutic value of which has been examined in only a few studies. Treatment of PWS with short- and long-pulse dye lasers. Comparison of two wavelengths (585 nm vs. 595 nm) and two pulse durations (0.5 milliseconds vs. 20 milliseconds).
                Fifteen patients with untreated PWS were included in a randomized prospective study with three different laser settings. Patients underwent one treatment session. The following treatment parameters were chosen at a uniform spot size of 7 mm: (1) 585 nm/0.5 milliseconds/5.5 J/cm(2), (2) 595 nm/0.5 milliseconds/5.5 J/cm(2), and (3) 595 nm/20 milliseconds/13 J/cm(2). The clearance as well as side effects was evaluated. All treatments were performed with cold air-cooling. Follow-up took place immediately, 2 days and 4 weeks after the treatment. The PWS was assigned a clearance score (CS) from 1 to 4 (1 = poor to 4 = excellent).
                Descriptively, 585 nm/0.5 milliseconds generated the best average CS of 2.7, followed by 595 nm/20 milliseconds (2.5) and 595 nm/0.5 milliseconds (1.6)); statistically, there is no difference between the CS of 585 nm/0.5 milliseconds and 595 nm/20 milliseconds. The best lightening rates overall were achieved in purple PWS (CS = 3.5) versus red (CS = 2.5) and pink (CS = 2.0). Purple PWS responded best to 585 nm/0.5 milliseconds; red and pink PWS yielded similar results with 585 nm/0.5 milliseconds and 595 nm/20 milliseconds. The setting, 595 nm/0.5 milliseconds was clearly not as effective as the other laser settings. Purpura, pain, and crusting were most commonly reported after treatments with 585 nm/0.5 milliseconds (93%/93%/33%), closely followed by treatments at 595 nm/20 milliseconds (86%/93%/20%). The settings 595 nm/0.5 milliseconds yielded the lowest rate of adverse effects (67%/60%/0%). Hypopigmentation only occurred in one case (585 nm/0.5 milliseconds), and there were no reports of hyperpigmentation or scarring.
                With respect to treating PWS, the conventional pulsed-dye laser set to 585 nm/0.5 milliseconds yields a significantly greater clearance rate than it does at a setting of 595 nm (with the same pulse duration, fluence, and spot size), although the former also entails the highest spectrum of adverse effects. In this study, purple PWS treated at these parameters showed the best results. In dealing with pink PWS, the results were similar to those of the conventional pulsed-dye laser when the pulse duration was increased to 20 milliseconds and fluence was increased. As a rule, the clearance rate corresponded to the extent of the postoperative purpura.
                Copyright 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc. The pulsed-dye laser (PDL) is the treatment of choice for port-wine stains (PWS). Multiple treatments are usually necessary, with standard treatment intervals ranging between 6 and 12 weeks. However, there are no studies on the effect of treating PWS at different time intervals, and the ideal time interval between treatments has not yet been agreed. It is uncertain whether treatment is more effective if administered at shorter time intervals.
                To establish whether the treatment of PWS with the variable pulse width 595-nm (V-beam) PDL at 2-week intervals achieves better results, with no difference in the complication rate, than treatment given at 6-week intervals.
                We prospectively investigated 15 patients with PWS. Each patient had the whole PWS treated at initial visit. Half of the PWS was randomly allocated to be treated at 2 weeks and the other half at 6 weeks from initial visit. Both halves of the PWS thus were treated twice in total, once at the initial visit and the second treatment either at 2 weeks or 6 weeks from initial visit. At 12 weeks an observer blinded to treatment allocation clinically evaluated the results. The outcome measure was lightening of the PWS as measured with a reflectance spectrophotometer. Complications were recorded throughout the study period.
                Of the 15 patients, 13 completed the study. Three patients had two PWS each treated separately, giving a total of 16 treated PWS sites. In 11 sites (69%), the 2-week interval treatment resulted in greater reduction in reflectance than the 6-week interval treatment. Using the nonparametric Wilcoxon matched-pair signed rank test, the 2-week treatment interval site resulted in greater reduction in reflectance measurements compared with the 6-week treatment interval site (P < 0.01). This agreed closely with independent observer assessment judging that the 2-week treatment interval resulted in better lightening of the PWS than the 6-week treatment interval (P = 0.003). There were no adverse reactions from the treatments.
                Preliminary data suggest that a treatment interval of 2 weeks is well tolerated by patients and resulted in greater lightening of the PWS in the majority, compared with a standard 6-week interval. It also has the potential to reduce the total duration of a course of treatment significantly. Pulsed dye laser (PDL) in conjunction with cryogen spray cooling (CSC) is effective in improving efficacy and safety for treatment of port wine stains (PWSs) in whites. However, for dark-skinned patients such as Chinese, only retrospective studies have been performed.
                To compare prospectively clinical efficacy in terms of blanching and acute and long-term adverse effects of PDL alone and PDL-CSC for treatment of PWSs in Chinese patients.
                Thirty-five Chinese patients (13 males and 22 females) were recruited, and 131 treatments were performed. Half of the test area on the PWS was treated with PDL alone, and the contralateral half was treated with PDL-CSC. The degree of PWS blanching was objectively assessed by spectrophotometer. Skin textural changes were detected by cutometer. All measurements were taken at baseline and before each subsequent laser treatment. Patients were interviewed immediately after treatment and again the following week using a visual analog scale questionnaire to assess the degree of pain and swelling. Occurrence of blisters was noted during each follow-up visit. Patients were evaluated for evidence of long-term adverse effects such as dyspigmentation and scarring after three treatments.
                Statistically significant higher fluences were used on the PDL-CSC-treated group. The percentage change in the spectrophotometer a* value was significantly greater using PDL-CSC, indicating that there was more PWS blanching after treatment. There was no significant difference in the incidence of skin textural changes after three treatments with PDL alone or PDL-CSC. The immediate pain scores were significantly higher for PDL alone than with PDL-CSC. Blisters were significantly more common on the area treated using PDL alone than PDL-CSC. The overall incidence of long-term adverse effects was not significantly different between the PDL alone and PDL-CSC treatments. PDL-CSC was also the preferred treatment modality for most patients.
                PDL-CSC was more effective than PDL alone for blanching of PWS in Chinese patients. Moreover, PDL-CSC was better tolerated and resulted in a lower incidence of acute adverse effects such as blistering. Laser treatment of port-wine stain (PWS) might be improved using a deeply penetrating wavelength.
                PWSs in 17 patients were treated 3 times with a 595-nm pulsed dye laser (PDL) and a 1064-nm neodymium:yttrium-aluminum-garnet (Nd:YAG) laser. Fluences of 1.0, 0.8, and 0.6 times the minimum purpura dose (MPD) were used for Nd:YAG laser. Posttreatment biopsy specimens were taken. Blind assessment and quantitative analysis of PWS clearing were performed from digital photographs.
                MPD for Nd:YAG laser varied widely, from 40 to 250 J/cm 2 . Purpura lasted longer after PDL. Treatment achieved similar 50% to 75% clearing with both PDL and Nd:YAG laser at 1 MPD. Nd:YAG caused greater perivascular and epidermal injury. Scarring occurred in the only patient treated with a Nd:YAG fluence greater than 1 MPD. Patients preferred Nd:YAG laser because of their faster recovery.
                Nd:YAG laser used at MPD is as effective as PDL for treating PWS. Nd:YAG laser fluences higher than MPD may cause scarring.
The pulsed dye laser leads to clinically relevant clearance of port-wine stains. A limited number of RCTs evaluated the efficacy from intense pulsed light and other laser types. High-quality RCTs are needed to assess individual efficacy from different lasers and light sources, as well as participant satisfaction.