Work

The application of photodynamic therapy in recurrent genital herpes

Year: 2024

Type: article

Abstract: • Research on photodynamic therapy for recurrent genital herpes is beneficial for expanding clinical treatment options for genital herpes, reducing disease frequency, and promoting skin lesion healing. • This study has preliminarily demonstrated the effectiveness of PDT in treating genital herpes. In future research, the scope of research can be further expanded, the research plan can be improved, and high-level evidence can be provided for PDT treatment. Frequently, recurrence of genital herpes imposes significant physical and psychological burdens on patients, and existing treatments are often ineffective in preventing recurrence. Previous studies have indicated that photodynamic therapy (PDT) showed promising outcomes in the treatment of labial herpes simplex virus (HSV) infections; however, its efficacy for genital herpes remained unclear. The study screened patients with genital herpes at Daping Hospital from July 2020 to May 2024. Patients were divided into two groups based on whether they received PDT treatment. Over a one-year follow-up period, patients' healing time and recurrence rates were compared between the two groups. The cumulative incidence of recurrence and restricted mean survival time (RMST) were used to assess outcomes. Propensity score matching (PSM) was employed to minimize bias. A total of 41 patients enrolled in our study, with 8 (19.5 %) received PDT. The non-PDT group exhibited a slower skin lesion healing time, averaging at 7.2 days compared to 5.4 days in the PDT group. A significant difference was observed in the cumulative incidence of recurrence between the PDT and non-PDT groups (37.5 % versus 71.4 %) after PSM. The RMST in the PDT group was 9.94 days, compared to 5.13 days in the non-PDT group before PSM, and 4.14 after PSM. Our study demonstrated that the PDT effectively reduced lesion recovery time and delayed recurrences of genital herpes. We recommend considering PDT as a potential treatment option for patients with recurrent genital herpes.

Source: Photodiagnosis and Photodynamic Therapy

DOI: 10.1016/j.pdpdt.2024.104386