High-dose UVA1 therapy in the treatment of patients with atopic dermatitis

Abstract

Background: Besides glucocorticosteroids, there is currently no known effective therapy for patients with acute atopic dermatitis.

Objective: The therapeutic effectiveness of high-dose UVA1 irradiation in the management of patients with acute exacerbation of atopic dermatitis was examined.

Methods: Patients in the high-dose UVA1 group (n = 15) were irradiated with 130 joules/cm2 UVA1; the control group (n = 10) was treated with UVA-UVB therapy in a minimal erythema dose-dependent manner (total number of treatments 15).

Results: High-dose UVA1 irradiation was found to induce a significant clinical improvement of atopic dermatitis (p less than 0.001). In comparison with UVA-UVB therapy, significant differences in favor of high-dose UVA1 were observed (p less than 0.01). High-dose UVA1, but not UVA-UVB treatment, significantly reduced the elevated serum level of eosinophil cationic protein in patients with atopic dermatitis (p less than 0.003).

Conclusion: These studies indicate that high-dose UVA1 irradiation may represent a novel phototherapeutic modality for the treatment of patients with an acute exacerbation of atopic dermatitis.