Long-Term Local Trioxsalen Photochemotherapy in Psoriasis

Abstract

Good results were achieved in psoriasis with trioxsalen baths and UVA in 92% of 158 patients during initial treatment and in 83% of 139 patients during long-term treatment. Grade I-II local burns were encountered in about 7% of the patients. In addition, itchy skin pain was experienced by 2 patients, and in both of these the therapy was discontinued. Neither skin malignomas nor other serious side effects were seen.

A left-right comparison of UVB phototherapy and topical photochemotherapy in bilateral chronic hand dermatitis after 6 weeks' treatment

“…In a further study, oral PUVA was compared with UVB phototherapy in 35 patients with chronic eczematous dermatitis of the hands of varying aetiology, 6 both treatments being effective, although the results with PUVA were better. Finally, topical PUVA for chronic hand and foot dermatoses has also been shown to be effective, 7 while topical (bath) PUVA in psoriasis was as useful as oral PUVA; 8,9 in addition, an advantage of the topical over oral PUVA was the lack of systemic, particularly gastrointestinal, side-effects.…”

Concentration-dependent phototoxicity in trimethylpsoralen bath psoralen ultraviolet A

“…Bath psoralen plus ultraviolet A (PUVA), where photosensitization is achieved by bathing in psoralen‐containing tap water, 1 is an alternative to systemic PUVA. Systemic side‐effects and drug interactions are avoided, 2–6 but local side‐effects such as itching and erythema may appear 2,5 , 7,8 . In the Nordic countries, trimethylpsoralen [TMP; 4,5′,8‐trimethylpsoralen; trioxsalen (USP); trioxysalen (rINN); CAS no.…”