title: High-dose UVA1 therapy for atopic dermatitis: results of a multicenter trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The results of an open, single-center study suggested that phototherapy with high doses of UVA1 radiation (UVA1R; 340-400 nm) is effective for acute, severe exacerbations of atopic dermatitis (AD).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of high-dose UVA1 phototherapy for acute, severe AD in a randomized multicenter trial in direct comparison with topical glucocorticoid therapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients were treated with high-dose UVA1R (10 days, 130 J/cm2/day; n = 20), topically with fluocortolone (10 days, 1 x daily; n = 17), or with UVA-UVB therapy (10 days, 1 x daily, minimal erythema dose-dependent; n = 16).
  
  
  RESULTS
  With a clinical scoring system, significant differences in favor of high-dose UVA1R and fluocortolone therapy were observed (p < 0.0001), as compared with UVA-UVB therapy. At day 10, high-dose UVA1R was superior to fluocortolone (p < 0.002) therapy. Serum levels of eosinophil cationic protein and the blood eosinophil count were significantly reduced after high-dose UVA1 or fluocortolone, but not UVA-UVB therapy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study confirms the therapeutic effectiveness of high-dose UVA1 monotherapy for treatment of severe exacerbations of AD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, University of Freiburg, Germany.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Krutmann
authors.forename: T L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Diepgen
authors.forename: T A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Luger
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Grabbe
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Meffert
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sönnichsen
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Czech
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kapp
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Stege
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Grewe
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Schöpf
mesh_terms: D000287:Administration, Topical; D000328:Adult; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003876:Dermatitis, Atopic / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D005260:Female; D005448:Fluocortolone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005938:Glucocorticoids; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D014467:Ultraviolet Therapy / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D005938:Glucocorticoids; D005448:Fluocortolone