Usefulness of video thermography in the evaluation of Platelet-rich Plasma effectiveness in Vulvar Lichen Sclerosus: Preliminary study.

Abstract

BACKGROUND\nLichen Sclerosus is a chronic-relapsing and potentially serious skin disease that has a preference for genital skin. Currently, there is no standardized method for assessing the effects of therapies.\n\n\nOBJECTIVE\nThe objective of this preliminary study is to use Video Thermography in the evaluation of Vulvar Lichen Sclerosus before and after PRP therapy.\n\n\nMETHODS\nA sample of 6 female patients were enrolled. Patients were subjected to PRP treatment. Patients selected for the study had been assessed at baseline (T0) and after 7 and 30 days from PRP treatment (T1 and T2 respectively). Clinical and video thermography evaluation were executed in every visit.\n\n\nRESULTS\nThe video thermography examination showed at least one hypothermic area in all our patients. The average temperature measured in the vulvar and perineal region taken as a reference for each patient was found to be between 33.7 and 36.3\u2009°C, with a fair difference between the patients. Hypothermic areas showed a thermal differences which varied between 2.2 and 1.2\u2009°C.\n\n\nCONCLUSION\nIt is demonstrated here that PRP offers satisfactory effectiveness in treating Vulvar Lichen Sclerosus and that video thermograpy could represent a useful paraclinic method in the identification and follow-up of Lichen Sclerosus.