title: Ultraviolet phototherapy for pruritus.
abstract: Ultraviolet-based therapy has been used to treat various pruritic conditions including pruritus in chronic renal failure, atopic dermatitis, HIV, aquagenic pruritus and urticaria, solar, chronic, and idiopathic urticaria, urticaria pigmentosa, polycythemia vera, pruritic folliculitis of pregnancy, breast carcinoma skin infiltration, Hodgkin's lymphoma, chronic liver disease, and acquired perforating dermatosis, among others. Various mechanisms of action for phototherapy have been posited. Treatment limitations, side effects, and common dosing protocols are reviewed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, Michigan 48202, USA.
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rivard
authors.forename: Henry W
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Lim
mesh_terms: D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D006801:Humans; D011537:Pruritus / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D014467:Ultraviolet Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*