title: Susceptibility to UV-A and UV-B provocation does not correlate with disease severity of polymorphic light eruption.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine whether the ease of disease provocation by UV-A and/or UV-B radiation correlates with clinical features of polymorphic light eruption (PLE), including those indicative of disease severity.
  
  
  METHODS
  Intervention study.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred forty-three patients with PLE.
  
  
  METHODS
  Provocation testing with broadband UV-A and UV-B lamps. Additionally, a range of clinical characteristics of the disorder, including a 5-item PLE severity score, was assessed by questionnaire.
  
  
  METHODS
  Percentage of PLE rash induction by UV-A and UV-B provocation, differences between the skin types, and correlation between the results of provocation and a range of clinical characteristics of the disorder, including a 5-item PLE severity score.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Rash provocation was seen in 78.3% of patients after UV-A and in 46.7% after UV-B exposure. Neither UV-A nor UV-B provocation showed a significant association with the total 5-item severity score. The UV-B reactivity was associated with a high score on the severity item "number of months affected per year" (P = .04), whereas UV-A responsiveness showed a tendency for association with facial involvement (P = .06).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The objective assessment of UV-A or UV-B susceptibility in this large group of patients showed no significant relationship with clinical disease severity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Leiden University Medical Center, PO Box 9600, 2300 RC Leiden, the Netherlands. a.s.janssens@lumc.nl
authors.forename: Artiena Soe
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Janssens
authors.forename: Stan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pavel
authors.forename: Tsui
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ling
authors.forename: Sandra Maria
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Winhoven
authors.forename: Nikoletta
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Anastasopoulou
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Stratigos
authors.forename: Christina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Antoniou
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Diepgen
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: de Gruijl
authors.forename: Lesley Elisabeth
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Rhodes
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004198:Disease Susceptibility; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010787:Photosensitivity Disorders / Q000473:pathology*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012867:Skin / Q000473:pathology / Q000528:radiation effects*; D012882:Skin Tests / Q000379:methods*; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays