title: Phototherapy in childhood.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Little data exist about the efficacy of phototherapy in childhood dermatoses.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To report our experience with pediatric patients treated with phototherapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study included children <or=17 years of age, who were treated in our phototherapy unit between 1985 and 2005. Data were retrospectively collected.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The study included 113 patients (50 boys, 63 girls) with a median of age of 13 years (range: 3-17 yrs). Narrow-band ultraviolet-B (34.6%), and ultraviolet-B (33.1%) were the most common treatments administered to the patients. Indications for phototherapy were psoriasis in 53.5%, vitiligo in 20.5%, pityriasis lichenoides in 14.2%, alopecia areata in 7.9%. Response was achieved in 92.9% of the psoriasis patients treated with narrow-band ultraviolet-B, in 83.3% treated with psoralen plus ultraviolet-A, and in 93.3% with ultraviolet-B. All the pityriasis lichenoides chronica patients who received narrow-band ultraviolet-B responded to the treatment and seven of nine treated with ultraviolet-B had a response. Response was achieved in 57% of the vitiligo patients treated with psoralen plus ultraviolet-A and in 50% of vitiligo patients treated with narrow-band ultraviolet-B. Of the 10 alopecia areata patients, two responded to psoralen plus ultraviolet-A. Among all the patients, erythema was the most common adverse effect.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Phototherapy is a well-tolerated treatment for childhood dermatoses, and is especially efficacious in psoriasis and pityriasis lichenoides chronica patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey. sevans@hacettepe.edu.tr
authors.forename: Sibel
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ersoy-Evans
authors.forename: Asli
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Altaykan
authors.forename: Sedef
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sahin
authors.forename: Fikret
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kölemen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000506:Alopecia Areata / Q000628:therapy; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005363:Ficusin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017319:Photosensitizing Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010789:Phototherapy / Q000009:adverse effects; D017514:Pityriasis Lichenoides / Q000628:therapy; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000628:therapy; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000628:therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014467:Ultraviolet Therapy; D014820:Vitiligo / Q000628:therapy
chemical_list: D017319:Photosensitizing Agents; D005363:Ficusin