title: 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).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, University of Freiburg, F.R.G.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Krutmann
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Czech
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Diepgen
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Niedner
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kapp
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Schöpf
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001798:Blood Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D003876:Dermatitis, Atopic / Q000097:blood / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D047091:Eosinophil Granule Proteins; D004804:Eosinophils; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D012260:Ribonucleases; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014467:Ultraviolet Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D001798:Blood Proteins; D047091:Eosinophil Granule Proteins; D012260:Ribonucleases