Lichen nitidus (LN) is an uncommon chronic inflammatory skin disease composed of numerous, tiny, shiny, flesh-colored papules that are predominantly observed on the chest, abdomen, glans penis and upper extremities. The distribution of LN is most often localized, but in some cases it can become generalized. Because LN tends to be asymptomatic and presents spontaneous resolution within several years, it usually does not require treatment except in symptomatic, persistent and generalized cases. We describe a 28-yr-old man and a 7-yr-old boy with generalized LN where both cases improved with narrow-band ultraviolet B (NB-UVB) phototherapy plus topical steroid ointment. Both patients noted improvement within the first three treatments and showed almost complete resolution after 18 and 20 treatments, respectively. NB-UVB phototherapy may be an effective alternative therapy for the treatment of generalized LN, even for those patients in their childhood.
*Ultraviolet Therapy ; PUVA Therapy ; Male ; Lichen Nitidus/pathology/*radiotherapy ; Humans ; Child ; Adult

Leukoderma punctata is a rare side effect of photochemotherapy such as psoralen with solar ultraviolet light (PUVASOL) or psoralen with ultraviolet A (PUVA), and manifests as numerous discrete punctate, hypopigmented and achromic spots. Histopathologically, a focal reduction of melanocytes and melanin granules are found in the depigmented macules, revealed by S-100 and Fontana-Masson staining. The phototoxic effect of photochemotherapy on melanocytes has been suggested as the most likely cause. This occurs mostly after systemic psoralen on photochemotherapy. However, a case following topical PUVA therapy is very rare. We report a rare case of leukoderma punctata in a 6-year-old female after topical PUVA therapy for segmental vitiligo.
Child ; Female ; Ficusin ; Humans ; Melanins ; Melanocytes ; Photochemotherapy ; PUVA Therapy* ; Ultraviolet Rays ; Vitiligo*

Vitiligo is a common acquired Thypornelanotic disease but the pathogenesis is still unknown and also the traatment is still unsatisfactory. The introduction in 1947 of psoralen therapy in vitiligo by El Mofty announced a new era in the treatment of this cosmetically disfiguring disease. Many investigators have developed therapeutic regimens for both topical and systemic poralen using various ligbt sources. The erythema action spectrum in UVA range of psoralen were defined, which consequently enabled the development of a more accurate regimen, namely psoralen and UVA(FUVA, exposure. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the efficacy of topical PUVA therapy in patients with vitiligo and to compare the result of PUVA therapy according to the age, sex, type of disease, total exposure dose, duration of disease nd involved site. Twenty one patients selected in the Department of Dermatology of Kyung hee University Hospital with various clinical types of vitiligo were treated with 03% 8-MOP ointment followed by exposure to longwave ultraviolet energy. Clinical response was graded as follows: Grade 0: No repigmentation Grade 1; Up to 25% repigmentaton Grade 2; 25% to 50% repigmentation Grade 3; 50% to 90% repigmentation Grade 4; Greater than 90% repigmentation A responsive case wss defined as a case with greater than 25% repigmentation. A effective case was defined as a case with greater than 50;o repigmentation.
Dermatology ; Erythema ; Ficusin ; Humans ; Methoxsalen* ; Photochemotherapy* ; PUVA Therapy ; Research Personnel ; Ultraviolet Rays* ; Vitiligo*

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disorder with a complex etiology, which can include genetic factors, immune or endocrine disorders and ultraviolet light. Red lunulae have been observed in association with several systemic and cutaneous disorders, most of which have an autoimmune origin. We experienced an interesting case of a 56 year-old patient with mycosis fungoides who had been treated with systemic PUVA for 3 months and developed SLE with red lunulae on all of the finger nails. Herein, we review the relationship between PUVA and SLE and suggest red lunulae as a clinical sign of SLE development.
Fingers ; Humans ; Immunologic Factors ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic* ; Middle Aged ; Mycosis Fungoides* ; PUVA Therapy* ; Ultraviolet Rays

A new spectrophotometry was described for the simultaneous analysis of pseudoephedrine sulfate-Ioratadine combination. The derivative spectrophotometry dA/d values were read at zero-crossing point. Mean recoveries were found to be more than 98% for these compound in mixture. The procedure does not require any separation step and proven to be rapid, simple and accurate for determination of the mentioned sample or corresponding multi-component mixture
Spectrophotometry ; Ultraviolet Therapy ; Loratadine ; tablets

Phototherapy with PUVA or UVB has been used to treat a wide variety of diseases such as psoriasis, vitiligo, atopic dermatitis and mycosis fungoides, etc. The present study was performed to investigate the pattern of phototherapy in the phototherapy clinic of Yonsei Medical Center. One thousand six hundred ninety two patients who received PUVA or UVB phototherapy were included in this study. We analyzed the protocols for phototherapy between 1985 and 1994. The number of phototherapy per year increased sharply until 1991 and thereafter it has remained relatively constant. The most common age group at the start of phototherapy was the third decade. The most common indications for PUVA and UVB phototherapy were vitiligo and psoriasis, respectively. Most patients had received less than 50 treatments of PUVA and less than 200 J/cm2 of cumulative UVA. Most patients had received less than 50 treatments with UVB and cumulative UVB doses were variable. We had not found any malignancy in the skin. Since the maximum safe cumulative doses of UVA or UVB have not yet been established, it is difficult to decide when phototherapy should b discontinued. The data presented in this study needs to be further analyzed in correlation with photoaging and cancer development for the safe usage of phototherapy.
*Academic Medical Centers ; Adult ; Female ; Human ; Korea ; Male ; *PUVA Therapy/utilization ; Physician's Practice Patterns ; Radiation Dosage ; *Ultraviolet Therapy/utilization

OBJECTIVEOnly a few clinical reports in the treatment of early mycosis fungoides (MF)(IA, IB, IIA stage) are available in the literature. The purpose of this study was to compare the efficacy and safety of narrow-band UVB and psoralen plus ultraviolet A (PUVA) photochemoterapy in 24 patients with early-stage MF, and explore a new approach for the treatment of early mycosis fungoides.

METHODSA total of 24 identified early mycosis fungoides patients received PUVA, NB-UVB and a combined therapy of PUVA followed by NB-UVB (n = 9/6/9) irradiation. A retrospective study was carried out to analyze the sex, age of onset, TNM stage, treatment, and duration of treatment, and times of treatment, duration of maintenance treatment, effective and recurrence in these patients. The data were analyzed using SPSS 17.0 and a two-sided test at the α = 0.05 level of significance was conducted.

RESULTSOf the 24 patients studied, the average treatment was 104.5 (95% CI, 75.71-133.29) times. The average duration of treatment was 12.88 (95% CI, 9.90-15.85) months. The average maintenance treatment time was 11.08 (95% CI, 2.13-20.04) months. The effective rate (CR+PR) of PUVA treatment was 88.9%, recurrence rate was 11.1% (n = 9). In the NB-UVB treatment group, the effective rate was 100.0%, and the recurrence rate was 33.3% (n = 6). In the PUVA followed by NB-UVB (combination therapy) treatment group, the effective rate was 77.8% and the recurrence rate was 55.6% (n = 9). There were no significant differences among the three groups in terms of number of treatments, treatment duration, maintenance treatment duration, effective rate and recurrence rate (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSPUVA and NB-UVB are effective and safe in the targeted therapy of early stage mycosis fungoides. The combined therapy of PUVA followed by NB-UVB can reduce the total PUVA dose and risk of developing skin cancer.

Combined Modality Therapy ; methods ; Ficusin ; Humans ; Mycosis Fungoides ; therapy ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; PUVA Therapy ; Photochemotherapy ; Physical Examination ; Retrospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome ; Ultraviolet Therapy

BACKGROUND: Chronic actinic dermatitis comprises a spectrum of chronic photosensitivity disorders. Treatment includes avoidance of UV light, application of broad-spectrum topical sunscreens, PUVA therapy, corticosteroid, azathioprine and cyclosporine. OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to determine the efficacy of cyclosporine in the treatment of chronic actinic dermatitis. METHODS: Six patients with chronic actinic dermatitis refractory to conventional treatment were treated with cyclosporine 100-200mg a day for four to eighteen weeks. RESULTS: In all six patients improvement of the skin lesions and itching were dramatic, but in three of them hyperterision developed during the cyclosporine treatment. After stopping the cyclosporine therapy, their blood pressures normalized within two to five weeks. Other side effects of cyclosporine were not found. Although the skin lesions of all of the six patients were aggravated more or less after stopping the cyclosporine therapy, we could maintain their improved states with topical corticosteroids and oral antihistamines. CONCLUSION: 1. Cyclosporine is a good alternative in treating chronic actinic dermatitis patients who are suffering from severe symptoms refractory to conventional therapy. 2. Hypertension is the frequent side effect of cyclosporine.
Adrenal Cortex Hormones ; Azathioprine ; Cyclosporine* ; Histamine Antagonists ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Photosensitivity Disorders* ; Pruritus ; PUVA Therapy ; Skin ; Sunscreening Agents ; Ultraviolet Rays

Vitiligo is a disease of unknown cause in which melanocytes are preferentially destroyed by unidentified mechanisms. Vitiligo does respond slowly to psoralens with ultraviolet light and less often to applications of topical steroids. Many investigators have developed therapeutic regimens for autografts of normal melanocyte in treatment for this disfiguring disease. We present herein a case of localized vitiligo in a 26-year-old female, who was successfully repigmented with autologous skin graft and systemic PUVA therapy. The achieved result demonstrate a possible therapeutic approach for vitiligo.
Adult ; Autografts ; Female ; Ficusin ; Humans ; Melanocytes ; Psoralens ; PUVA Therapy* ; Research Personnel ; Skin* ; Steroids ; Transplants* ; Ultraviolet Rays ; Vitiligo*

Psoriasis vulgaris and bullous pemphigoid represent 2 clinically and histologically distinct, chronic inflammatory skin conditions. The concomitant occurrence of these 2 diseases is rare, and the pathogenic relationship between psoriasis and bullous pemphigoid remains unclear. The development of bullous pemphigoid in patients with psoriasis is considered to be related to treatments for psoriasis, especially ultraviolet therapy. However, some recent reports have suggested that an immunologic or biochemical association between these two diseases plays a role in the pathogenesis. Herein, we report 3 cases of bullous pemphigoid occurring in patients with psoriasis, and we discuss the possible pathogenic mechanisms of an association between psoriasis and bullous pemphigoid.
Humans ; Pemphigoid, Bullous* ; Psoriasis* ; Skin ; Ultraviolet Therapy