Supervised four-week heliotherapy alleviates the long-term course of psoriasis.
The long-term effects of psoriasis heliotherapy were studied in a randomized cross-over trial with a 2-year follow-up. We allocated 95 patients randomly to receive a 4-week heliotherapy course, either at the onset or in the middle of the follow-up period. After a highly significant immediate alleviation of psoriasis about 50% of the patients still had a reduction of psoriasis 6 months later and about 25% one year later. A favourable carry-over treatment effect was still observed during the second follow-up year. Taking advantage of the cross-over design, the effect of heliotherapy was calculated to be statistically significant during the first follow-up year, and the apparent long-term alleviation of psoriasis after the heliotherapy was reflected in a significant period effect. The alleviation of psoriasis was accompanied by a significant decrease in the use of antipsoriatic treatments.
Snellman
E
E
Social Insurance Institution, Helsinki, Finland.
Aromaa
A
A
Jansén
C T
CT
Lauharanta
J
J
Reunanen
A
A
Jyrkinen-Pakkasvirta
T
T
Luoma
J
J
Waal
J
J
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006370:Heliotherapy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome