title: Goeckerman therapy for the treatment of eczema: a practical guide and review of efficacy.
abstract: The Goeckerman regimen, consisting of the application of crude coal tar combined with exposure to ultraviolet radiation, was formulated in 1925 for the treatment of psoriasis. While some centers have adapted the Goeckerman regimen for the treatment of eczema, there are no published reports of its efficacy in this condition. Here, we explain how the Goeckerman regimen has been modified for use in an eczema population at the University of California San Francisco (UCSF). We reviewed the treatment records of eczema patients treated with the modified Goeckerman regimen over a 6-year period at UCSF. We found that the Goeckerman regimen was effective in treating patients with severe baseline disease, inducing a mean remission period of 7.2 months. The treatment was tolerated well with mild folliculitis and occasional ultraviolet B phototoxicity noted as the only adverse reactions. Since the use of Goeckerman as a treatment for severe eczema is both effective and safe, it should be considered an excellent alternative or adjunct to the systemic therapies currently being used.
authors.affiliation: University of Toronto, School of Medicine, Toronto, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Madison
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dennis
authors.forename: Tina
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bhutani
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Koo
authors.forename: Wilson
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Liao
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003033:Coal Tar / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004485:Eczema / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007641:Keratolytic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010778:Photochemotherapy; D012495:San Francisco; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D007641:Keratolytic Agents; D003033:Coal Tar