The effect of pulsed dye laser on cutaneous leishmaniasis and its impact on the Dermatology Life Quality Index

Background and objective: Cutaneous leishmaniasis is a prevalent skin condition especially in the Middle Eastern region. The use of pulsed dye laser (PDL) for the treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) has not been thoroughly evaluated. We assessed primarily the efficacy of 595-nm PDL in the treatment of CL lesions and interpreted its impact on the quality of life (QOL) of affected patients as measured by the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI). Patients and methods: Twenty-five lesions from 12 patients were treated with a single pass of PDL over the whole lesions to develop a purpuric end point. Parameters used for this treatment were 7 J/cm(2) fluence, 10-mm spot size, and 0.45-ms pulse duration. The laser settings were maintained in all subsequent treatments. Results: Excellent response was noted in 13 of the 25 lesions after 3 sessions, while 12 of the remaining 25 lesions required 4 sessions toward complete recovery. The mean DLQI scores pre- and post-laser treatments were 12.67 and 4.25, respectively. All patients experienced a statistically significant improvement in their QOL (p < 0.05, paired t-test). Conclusion: The PDL is a new safe modality for treating cases of CL with further larger-scale studies could better determine its role.