Bath psoralen-ultraviolet A therapy in atopic eczema.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the efficacy of bath psoralen-ultraviolet A (PUVA) therapy in severe cases of atopic dermatitis (AD) in adults using the extended Six Area, Six Sign Atopic Dermatitis (SASSAD) score.


METHODS
Thirty-five adult subjects with severe AD underwent bath PUVA therapy for a maximum of 30 sessions ranging from one to three times a week. The only other treatment allowed during the study was topical application of hydrocortisone.


RESULTS
There were a total of six drop-outs, three due to aggravation of symptoms. After the maximum 30 sessions the remaining 29 subjects showed 82.1% improvement in the severity of lesions, 75.2% reduction in extension of lesions, 74% improvement in itching and 79% improvement in night-time rest. Patient evaluations gave an overall score of 8.8 on a scale of 0-10.
de Kort
W J
WJ
St Ignatius Hospital, Breda, The Netherlands. h.vanweelden@digd.azu.nl
van Weelden
H
H
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001494:Baths; D002648:Child; D003876:Dermatitis, Atopic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011701:PUVA Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D010352:Patient Dropouts; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D010865:Pilot Projects