title: Low dose versus medium dose UV-A1 treatment in severe atopic eczema.
abstract: Twenty-two patients with severe atopic eczema were included in a therapy study with UV-A1 (wavelengths > 340 nm) treatment. The patients were divided into two dose groups, each consisting of 11 patients. One group received 10 J/cm2 and the other 50 J/cm2 five times a week for 3 consecutive weeks. No topical or systemical steroids or antihistamines were allowed. Using the SCORAD index as a measure of disease activity before onset of therapy and after 10 and 15 treatments, we observed a significant improvement in both dose groups after 15 treatments (10 J/cm2: p < 0.05, 50 J/cm2: p < 0.005). After 10 treatments only the improvement in the 50 J/cm2 group was significant (p < 0.005); the difference between the two dose groups was significant (p < 0.05). The clinical efficacy of treatment was reflected neither by a decrease of serum IgE nor by a decrease of elevated serum levels of soluble adhesion molecules sICAM-1 and sELAM-1 in the two dose groups. In contrast, a marked but not significant decrease of serum ECP could be observed in the 50 J/cm2 group only. We conclude from these and other published data that although 10 J/cm2 UV-A1 has a limited effect on patients with severe atopic eczema, higher doses are of higher efficiency in the treatment of this condition.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, University of Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kowalzick
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kleinheinz
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Weichenthal
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Neuber
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Köhler
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Grosch
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lungwitz
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Seegeberg
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ring
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001798:Blood Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000097:blood; D003876:Dermatitis, Atopic / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D019040:E-Selectin; D047091:Eosinophil Granule Proteins; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000097:blood; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000097:blood; D008875:Middle Aged; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic / Q000032:analysis; D012074:Remission Induction; D012260:Ribonucleases; D012995:Solubility; D014467:Ultraviolet Therapy / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D001798:Blood Proteins; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D019040:E-Selectin; D047091:Eosinophil Granule Proteins; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1; D007073:Immunoglobulin E; D012260:Ribonucleases