title: Ultraviolet B irradiation: a new therapeutic concept for the management of oral manifestations of graft-versus-host disease.
abstract: Ultraviolet irradiation inhibits the proliferative responses of lymphoid cells to mitogens and alloantigens by inactivation of T lymphocytes and antigen-presenting cells. Its immunosuppressive capacity led to the introduction of UV irradiation into clinical practice for the treatment of dermatologic manifestations of chronic graft-versus-host disease. The cumulative experience with psoralen-UV-A rays in the treatment of cutaneous and oral graft-versus-host disease was the incentive for the application of oral UV-B rays in 2 patients with oral graft-versus-host disease signs and symptoms after allogeneic marrow transplantation. Intraoral UV-B irradiation (0.02 mJ/cm(2)) was administered 2 or 3 times per week on an ambulatory basis; the dose was increased by 0. 02 mJ/cm(2) every fourth session. Both patients responded early and satisfactorily, displaying only minimal side effects at a relatively low cumulative dose. Intraoral UV-B proved a valuable modality in the treatment of resistant chronic oral graft-versus-host disease.
authors.affiliation: Hadassah-Hebrew University, Department of Hospital Oral Medicine, School of Dental Medicine, Jerusalem, Israel.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Elad
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Garfunkel
authors.forename: C D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Enk
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Galili
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Or
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016026:Bone Marrow Transplantation; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006086:Graft vs Host Disease / Q000150:complications / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009059:Mouth Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D014467:Ultraviolet Therapy / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods