Combined UVB and UVA Phototherapy of Atopic Eczema

Abstract

The effect of combined UVB-UVA treatment in a group of 23 patients with severe atopic eczema was compared to UVB therapy alone in 33 patients. Mean age and number of treatments were approximately the same in the two groups. With UVB-UVA treatment, 48% achieved complete remission and in another 48% good improvements were obtained as compared to 27 and 58%, respectively, in the group treated with UVB alone. A few failures were recorded in the UVB group. Some possible explanations for the better effect of the combined UVB-UVA treatment are given.

Management of atopic dermatitis

“…Very similar results in a smaller group of patients were obtained by Midelfart, Stenvold & Volden (5). Fifty-six patients with severe AD were treated with UVB alone (33 patients) or a combination of UVB and UVA (23 patients).…”

Circulating Skin-Homing T Cells in Atopic Dermatitis

“…The results presented herein appear to confirm the efficacy ofcombined UV-A and UV-B as previously reported in controlled trials. 17,18 Most patients experienced mild or moderate ery¬ thema at some time during treatment. Xerosis was re¬ ported by 7 of 12 patients, 3 patients complained of a burn¬ ing sensation of the face 4 to 6 hours after treatment, and 2 developed herpes labialis.…”

Phototherapy in Pediatric Patients

“…UVA‐UVB therapy has been established as a useful and acceptable method for treating mild to moderate atopic dermatitis (7,23,24). Doses should be kept slightly under the erythema threshold.…”