Treatment of localized scleroderma and lichen sclerosus with etretinate

Eight patients with lichen sclerosus and 8 patients with localized scleroderma were treated with etretinate (Tigason) at doses of 0.5 mg/kg body weight for between 3 and 12 months: 2 of 3 patients with juvenile type lichen sclerosus cleared, whereas the lesions of 5 patients with balanitis xerotica obliterans, kraurosis vulvae and extragenital lichen sclerosus were unchanged or even progredient. 2 of the patients with localized scleroderma cleared with slight atrophy. The lesions of 5 others failed to resolve but progression was halted under continued therapy; after drug withdrawal, the lesions resumed progression in 2 patients. We conclude that only moderate therapeutic effects can be achieved with etretinate in both lichen sclerosus and localized scleroderma.