UVB phototherapy is an effective treatment for pruritus in patients infected with HIV.
BACKGROUND
Pruritus in patients positive for HIV may be debilitating.


OBJECTIVE
Our purpose was to evaluate the efficacy of UVB therapy in the treatment of pruritus in patients positive for HIV.


METHODS
Twenty-one male HIV-positive patients with intractable pruritus (14 with eosinophilic folliculitis and 7 with primary pruritus) were treated three times weekly with UVB phototherapy. Pruritus was quantified with use of a subjective score of 0 (none) to 10 (severe).


RESULTS
Mean CD4 counts at the initiation of therapy were 91.0 +/- 31.9 cells/microliter. Pruritus scores before and after treatment were 8.6 +/- 0.4 and 2.2 +/- 0.5, respectively (p < 0.001). The mean number of treatments to achieve maximal improvement was 20.7 +/- 2.3, with a cumulative UVB dose of 3399.1 +/- 597.4 mJ/cm2. No significant difference was found between the group with eosinophilic folliculitis and the group with primary pruritus.


CONCLUSIONS
UVB phototherapy can produce significant relief of pruritus and improvement in the quality of life in patients positive for HIV.
Lim
H W
HW
Dermatology Service, New York Veterans Affairs Medical Center, New York, USA.
Vallurupalli
S
S
Meola
T
T
Soter
N A
NA
D000328:Adult; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D004802:Eosinophilia / Q000150:complications; D005499:Folliculitis / Q000150:complications / Q000532:radiotherapy; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011537:Pruritus / Q000150:complications / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D014467:Ultraviolet Therapy