title: Neonatal blue light phototherapy and melanocytic nevi: a twin study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Neonatal blue light phototherapy (NBLP) has been widely and successfully used for the treatment of neonatal jaundice to reduce the plasma concentration of bilirubin and, hence, to prevent kernicterus. Only a few and controversial data are available in the literature as to how NBLP influences melanocytic nevus development.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Our goal was to conduct a twin study with the aim of better understanding the role of NBLP in melanocytic nevus development. We also investigated the roles of other environmental and constitutional factors in nevus formation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty-nine monozygotic and dizygotic twins were included in this cross-sectional study. One of the twin members received NBLP, and the other did not. A whole-body skin examination was performed to determine the density of melanocytic skin lesions. The prevalence of benign pigmented uveal lesions was evaluated during a detailed ophthalmologic examination. A standardized questionnaire was used to assess data relating to constitutional, sun-exposure, and other variables. To search for possible gene-environmental interactions involved in the appearance of pigmented lesions, the melanocortin 1 receptor variants and the I439V polymorphism of histidine ammonia-lyase genes were also determined in the enrolled twins.
  
  
  RESULTS
  NBLP was associated with a significantly higher prevalence of both cutaneous and uveal melanocytic lesions. No association was found between the examined gene polymorphisms and the number of pigmented alterations in the examined study group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data suggest that NBLP could well be a risk factor for melanocytic nevus development. Phototherapy with blue-light lamps is a standard and essential therapeutic modality in neonatal care; therefore, additional in vivo and in vitro studies are necessary to establish its potential long-term adverse effects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology and Allergology, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary. csomazs@mail.derma.szote.u-szeged.hu
authors.forename: Zsanett
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Csoma
authors.forename: Edit
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tóth-Molnár
authors.forename: Klára
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Balogh
authors.forename: Hilda
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Polyánka
authors.forename: Hajnalka
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Orvos
authors.forename: Henriette
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ocsai
authors.forename: Lajos
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kemény
authors.forename: Márta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Széll
authors.forename: Judit
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Oláh
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006638:Histidine Ammonia-Lyase / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D009508:Nevus, Pigmented / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000235:genetics; D010789:Phototherapy / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods; D010808:Physical Examination; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D044102:Receptor, Melanocortin, Type 1 / Q000235:genetics; D012307:Risk Factors; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000235:genetics; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014429:Twins, Dizygotic; D014430:Twins, Monozygotic; D014604:Uveal Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000235:genetics; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D044102:Receptor, Melanocortin, Type 1; D006638:Histidine Ammonia-Lyase