title: Intranasal irradiation with the xenon chloride ultraviolet B laser improves allergic rhinitis.
abstract: We earlier reported that the 308 nm xenon chloride (XeCl) ultraviolet B (UVB) laser is highly effective for the treatment of inflammatory skin diseases. Since UVB irradiation has been shown to exert both local and systemic immunosuppression, we investigated the clinical efficacy of UVB irradiation in allergic rhinitis. In an open study, groups of patients with severe allergic rhinitis received intranasal irradiation with a 308 nm XeCl UVB excimer laser for two weeks. In the low-dose group (n=10), treatment was given twice weekly, starting with 0.25x the individual minimal erythema dose (MED), whereas patients in the medium-dose group (n=8) were treated four times weekly, starting with 0.4x MED. In each group, the dosage was gradually increased. Evaluation was based on the symptom scores. The effect of the XeCl laser on the skin prick test reaction was also studied. In the low-dose group, seven patients completed the study, and there was no improvement in the nasal symptoms. In the medium-dose group, the XeCl UVB irradiation significantly inhibited the rhinorrhoea, the sneezing, the nasal obstruction and the total nasal score (p<0.05). The XeCl UVB excimer laser also inhibited the allergen-induced skin prick test in a dose-dependent manner. These results suggest that the XeCl UVB excimer laser might serve as a new therapeutic tool in the treatment of allergic rhinitis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology and Allergology, University of Szeged, P.O. Box 427, H-6701 Szeged, Hungary.
authors.forename: Zsanett
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Csoma
authors.forename: Ferenc
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ignacz
authors.forename: Zsolt
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Bor
authors.forename: Gabor
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Szabo
authors.forename: Laszlo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bodai
authors.forename: Attila
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dobozy
authors.forename: Lajos
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kemeny
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002712:Chlorides / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D006801:Humans; D028022:Low-Level Light Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009296:Nasal Cavity / Q000473:pathology / Q000528:radiation effects*; D012221:Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays; D014978:Xenon / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D002712:Chlorides; D014978:Xenon; C048006:xenon chloride