[Treatment of plaque-type psoriasis with cream-PUVA therapy]

Abstract

PUVA-bath therapy has developed into first line topical PUVA therapy in the treatment of psoriasis. Because of logistical and economic problems, bath PUVA may be difficult to administer. Recently, cream-PUVA therapy has been described as an alternative mode of topical therapy. We treated two patients with moderate plaque-type psoriasis with this new topical approach. 0,0006% 8-methoxypsoralen cream was applied for 1 hour, directly followed by increasing doses of UVA. The number of treatments needed for clearance were 34 and 40. The cumulative UVA dosages were 71.6 and 84 J/cm(2) respectively. Our data document that cream-PUVA therapy is an effective and safe variation of topical PUVA therapy, which may develop into first line photochemotherapy for patients with moderate plaque-type psoriasis.