title: Rhinophototherapy: a new therapeutic tool for the management of allergic rhinitis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Phototherapy has a profound immunosuppressive effect and is able to inhibit hypersensibility reactions in the skin.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We evaluated whether phototherapy using a combination of UV-B (5%), UV-A (25%), and visible light (70%), referred to as mUV/VIS, is effective in treating allergic rhinitis.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a randomized, double-blind study, in 49 patients with hay fever. The study was performed during the ragweed season. Each intranasal cavity was illuminated 3 times a week for 3 weeks with mUV/VIS or with low-intensity visible light. Symptom scores, inflammatory cells, and their mediators were assessed in nasal lavages. In vitro effects of mUV/VIS irradiation on T-cell and eosinophil apoptosis and its inhibitory effect on mediator release from basophils were examined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Rhinophototherapy was tolerated well and resulted in a significant improvement of clinical symptoms for sneezing (P < .016), rhinorrhea (P < .007), nasal itching (P < .014), and total nasal score (P < .004). None of the scores improved significantly in the control group. Scores for nasal obstruction slightly improved after mUV/VIS treatment and significantly increased in the control group (P < .017). In the nasal lavage, phototherapy significantly reduced the number of eosinophils and the level of eosinophil cationic protein and IL-5. In vitro irradiation of T cells and eosinophils with mUV/VIS light dose-dependently induced apoptosis. Furthermore, mUV/VIS irradiation inhibited the mediator release from RBL-2H3 basophils.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that phototherapy is an effective modality to treat allergic rhinitis and offer new options for the treatment of immune-mediated mucosal diseases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology and Allergology, University of Szeged, Hungary. akoreck@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Andrea I
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Koreck
authors.forename: Zsanett
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Csoma
authors.forename: Laszlo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bodai
authors.forename: Ferenc
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ignacz
authors.forename: Anna Szabo
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Kenderessy
authors.forename: Edit
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kadocsa
authors.forename: Gabor
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Szabo
authors.forename: Zsolt
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Bor
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Erdei
authors.forename: Barnabas
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Szony
authors.forename: Bernhard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Homey
authors.forename: Attila
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dobozy
authors.forename: Lajos
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kemeny
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis / Q000528:radiation effects; D004804:Eosinophils / Q000528:radiation effects; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D008027:Light; D009297:Nasal Mucosa / Q000276:immunology / Q000528:radiation effects*; D010789:Phototherapy; D012221:Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial / Q000628:therapy*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000528:radiation effects; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays