title: The natural history of chronic actinic dermatitis: an analysis at a single institution in the United States.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Chronic actinic dermatitis is a photosensitivity disorder with scant epidemiologic data. Case series in Europe have previously shown that improvement or resolution of chronic actinic dermatitis occurs over time in most patients. However, the natural history of chronic actinic dermatitis in patients in the United States has not been studied.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To study the natural history of chronic actinic dermatitis in patients in the United States.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed a retrospective chart review and telephone questionnaire after a 3- to 19-year follow-up period.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 20 patients with chronic actinic dermatitis, 7 patients (35%) experienced resolution and an additional 11 patients (55%) experienced improvement of their photosensitivity to sunlight during the follow-up period. The proportion of patients experiencing improvement or resolution of their chronic actinic dermatitis increased at 5, 10, and 15 years after diagnosis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study demonstrates that abnormal photosensitivity to sunlight in chronic actinic dermatitis improves or resolves over time in most patients in New York. The rates of improvement or resolution in our patients in New York are similar to the rates in case series in Europe despite likely patient demographic differences.
authors.affiliation: From the Photomedicine and the Occupational and Environmental Dermatology Sections, Skin and Cancer Unit, Ronald O. Perelman Department of Dermatology, New York University, New York, NY.
authors.forename: Jay E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Wolverton
authors.forename: Nicholas A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Soter
authors.forename: David E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Cohen
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009518:New York; D010328:Patch Tests; D010787:Photosensitivity Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012075:Remission, Spontaneous; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013689:Telephone; D013997:Time Factors; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays / Q000009:adverse effects*