title: Does the minimal phototoxic dose after 8-methoxypsoralen baths correlate with the individual's skin phototype?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Up to now no data have been available concerning whether there is a significant correlation between skin phototypes and the minimum phototoxic dose (MPD) after bath water delivery of 8-MOP.
  
  
  METHODS
  The skin phototype of each of 46 patients was determined based on the individual past history of solar-induced burning and tanning. In addition, the MPD of each patient was assesed after photosensitization with a warm water bath (37 degrees C, 98.6 degrees F) containing 1.0 mg/l 8-methoxypsoralen (8-MOP). Statistical analysis was performed using a Mann-Whitney U-test and Spearman rank order correlation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The median MPD in patients with skin phototype II was 2.0 J/cm2 (range < or =0.5 to > or =3.5) versus 1.5 J/cm2 (range 1.0 to > or =3.5) in patients with skin phototype III. There was a considerable overlap between both groups. No significant difference was detected comparing both groups (P=0.7326) and Spearman rank order correlation revealed no correlation between skin phototype and MPD.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Erythemal sensitivity in PUVA bath therapy, measured as MPD, is not correlated with sun-reactive skin phototype in skin types II and III. Thus skin phototype is not a suitable indicator for the initial UVA dose in PUVA bath photochemotherapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, University of Ulm, Germany.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Schiener
authors.forename: S C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Behrens-Williams
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Pillekamp
authors.forename: R U
authors.initials: RU
authors.lastname: Peter
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kerscher
mesh_terms: D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D005363:Ficusin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008730:Methoxsalen / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010778:Photochemotherapy; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
chemical_list: D005363:Ficusin; D008730:Methoxsalen