Calcitonin gene-related peptide increases the blood flow of port-wine stains and improves continuous-wave dye laser treatment.

Ten patients with port-wine stains were treated with continuous-wave dye laser before and after treatment with the vasodilatory compound calcitonin gene-related peptide. The patients were given calcitonin gene-related peptide as an intravenous infusion or as a regional intravenous infusion. Six uniformly colored test sites, each 5 x 10 mm, located within a port-wine stain were selected for clinical evaluation. Laser treatment of these areas was performed on one occasion with three different energy densities: 15, 30, and 45 J/cm2. The port-wine stain circulation was monitored with a laser Doppler flowmeter before and after calcitonin gene-related peptide infusion and immediately after laser treatment. The cosmetic result was evaluated and judged as excellent, desirable, or undesirable. It was shown that calcitonin gene-related peptide is able to induce a long-lasting increase in blood flow in the vascular bed of port-wine stains and that the immediate postlaser laser Doppler flow values may serve as an indication of the outcome of laser therapy. The cosmetic result was often better in the group treated with calcitonin gene-related peptide compared with controls, and an excellent result also was achievable with the use of lower levels of energy.