HIV-positive patients differ from HIV-negative patients in indications for and type of UV therapy used.
BACKGROUND
Treatments using UV, UVB, or oral psoralen and UVA (PUVA) have been advocated for the care of HIV-infected persons with skin diseases. Concerns about the safety of these treatments exist.


OBJECTIVE
We attempted to determine the characteristics of HIV infected persons receiving UV therapy and establish the reasons for and type of treatment administered.


METHODS
During two 2-week periods, we prospectively ascertained basic information on all patients treated at 40 phototherapy clinics and detailed clinical information on patients known to be infected with HIV.


RESULTS
We identified 3716 persons receiving UV therapy, including 311 known to be infected with HIV. When compared with patients not known to be infected with HIV, HIV-positive patients were significantly more likely to be treated with UVB rather than PUVA and were more likely to be treated for pruritic conditions rather than psoriasis.


CONCLUSIONS
There were great variations in the relative reliance on UVB and PUVA among centers. There appears to be no agreement as to which type of UV therapy is optimal for patients infected with HIV. Most patients known to the treating clinician to be HIV positive are in the advanced stages of HIV disease. The number of persons with less advanced HIV disease receiving treatment remains unquantified but may be even more clinically important.
Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA.
R S
RS
Stern
D K
DK
Mills
K
K
Krell
B Z
BZ
Zmudzka
J Z
JZ
Beer
D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000150:complications; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D004802:Eosinophilia / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000532:radiotherapy; D005260:Female; D005499:Folliculitis / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000532:radiotherapy; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications; D018023:HIV Seronegativity; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011701:PUVA Therapy; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011537:Pruritus / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000532:radiotherapy; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000532:radiotherapy; D012449:Safety; D012737:Sex Factors; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D014467:Ultraviolet Therapy