THE SKIN OF KIDNEY-TRANSPLANT RECIPIENTS ON LONG-TERM SYSTEMIC CORTICOSTEROID-THERAPY IS IMPROVED BY A 2-MONTH COURSE OF TOPICAL ALL-TRANS-RETINOIC ACID

We have previously found that topical all-trans retinoic acid (RA), pa rtially reverses the skin changes induced in kidney transplant recipie nts by long-term systemic corticosteroid therapy. In the present study , we used a clinical assessment and non-invasive methods to study the effect of tropical RA (0.05%, Galderma labs) on the face and upper lim bs of 17 female kidney transplant recipients over a two-month period. Sixteen patients completed the study. Compared to the aspect prior to treatment, a clinical improvement in the number and depth of facial wr inkles was noted. Similarly, the papery appearance and texture of the skin of the dorsal forearms improved relative to the excipient-treated contralateral side. A computerized study of the skin microrelief and crow's foot wrinkles on Silflo(R) replicas showed a decrease in line d ensity and the coefficient of developed skin surface (CDSS). both for the crow's foot areas (vs outset) and the treated forearms (vs the exc ipient-treated contralateral side). On the treated forearms, examinati on with other non-invasive methods showed an increase in overall skin thickness, a large increase in skin electrical conductance, a decrease in skin rigidity and an increase in skin luminance. All these changes were significant after only sixty days' treatment; the rapidity of th e effects of RA on such patients is noticeable.