Korean J Dermatol.  2007 Dec;45(12):1240-1245.

The Effect of Oral Famciclovir in Pityriasis Rosea

• Baek JO
• Kim M
• Roh JY
• Lee JR
• Lee AY

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Pityriasis rosea is a common, acute self-limiting papulosquamous disorder in which many studies suggest viral causative factors in its pathogenesis. Recently, the link between pityriasis rosea and the reactivation of human herpes virus-6 (HHV-6) and HHV-7 infection has been suggested. This evidence suggests that targetting HHV-6 or HHV-7 may be an effective treatment for pityriasis rosea.
OBJECTIVE
We treated pityriasis rosea patients with oral famciclovir to investigate the effect of oral famciclovir in pityriasis rosea.
METHODS
A case group of seventeen patients with pityriasis rosea were treated with oral famciclovir (250 mg 3 times daily for 7 days). Clinical evaluation at 0, 1 & 2 weeks was undertaken. A skin biopsy and polymerase chain reaction analysis of HHV-6 from a skin specimen were performed. We analyzed 19 patients with pityriasis rosea who were treated with topical steroid and oral antihistamines retrospectively and considered them as the control group.
RESULTS
On the 7th day after oral famciclovir treatment was started, pityriasis rosea had regressed completely in 3 patients (17.6%) and had regressed partially in 9 patients (52.9%). On the 14th day, 12 patients (70.6%) had achieved more than partial regression. On the 7th day, systemic symptoms had improved in all 9 patients. Clearance of skin lesions was achieved in average 7.57 days in patients who had regressed completely after 14 days' treatment. Histological examination of patients was compatible with pityriasis rosea and polymerase chain reaction analysis of HHV-6 was negative in all 8 patients. Compared with the control group, the treatment for patients in the case group seemed to have better effects, but statistical analysis failed to show any significant differences between the two groups.
CONCLUSION
Famciclovir was not effective in the treatment of pityriasis rosea, but further investigation is needed.

Keyword

Famciclovir; Pityriasis rosea

MeSH Terms

Biopsy
Herpesvirus 6, Human
Herpesvirus 7, Human
Histamine Antagonists
Humans
Pityriasis Rosea*
Pityriasis*
Polymerase Chain Reaction
Retrospective Studies
Skin
Skin Diseases, Papulosquamous
Histamine Antagonists