title: Comparison of photodermatoses in African-Americans and Caucasians: a follow-up study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Only a few studies have compared frequencies of photodermatoses among different races and skin types. This is an extension of a study performed by Kerr and Lim and evaluates the frequency of photodermatoses in African-Americans compared with Caucasians in the same institution during an 8-year period.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective chart review was performed, including dermatology clinic charts from October 2004 to August 2012 with International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision diagnostic codes related to photodermatoses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We identified 229 patients with photodermatoses. Of these, 138 (46.6%) were African-American and 63 (42.2%) were Caucasian. Statistically significant differences in the distribution of photodermatoses in African-Americans and Caucasians, respectively, were as follows: phototoxic drug eruption (0.7% and 15.9%, P < 0.0001), phytophotodermatitis (0% and 6.3%, P = 0.009), polymorphous light eruption (PMLE) (86.2% and 54%, P < 0.0001) and porphyrias (0% and 7.9%, P = 0.003).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Combined with data from Kerr and Lim, this is the largest study of photodermatoses in African-Americans to date. Congruent to former studies, photodermatoses do occur regularly in dark-skinned individuals. Overall, the frequency of photodermatoses in African-Americans and Caucasians are similar; however, PMLE occurs more commonly in African-Americans, and porphyias and phototoxicity occur more commonly in Caucasians.
authors.affiliation: Wayne State University, School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA.
authors.forename: Mio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.forename: Marsha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Henderson
authors.forename: Gordon
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Jacobsen
authors.forename: Henry W
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Lim
mesh_terms: D044383:Black People; D006801:Humans; D010787:Photosensitivity Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D044465:White People; D001741:Black or African American
keywords: chronic actinic dermatitis; photoallergy; photodermatitis; phototoxicity; polymorphous light eruption; porphyrias; solar urticaria