Recent advances in phototherapy

This synopsis reviews recent developments in dermatological phototherapy. UVA1 phototherapy (340-400 nm) is effective in the treatment of inflammatory skin diseases such as acutely exacerbated atopic dermatitis, localized scleroderma, urticaria pigmentosa and disseminated granuloma annulare. Narrowband UVB radiation (311-313 nm) is used successfully as monotherapy or combined with dithranol, oral retinoids or 8-MOP in psoriasis, atopic dermatitis (AD) or photosensitivity disorders such as polymorphic light eruption. Bath water delivery of 8-methoxypsoralen and subsequent UVA-irradiation (PUVA bath therapy) for the treatment of psoriasis as well as for mycosis fungoides, localized scleroderma, urticaria pigmentosa or lichen planus is an effective alternative to its systemic application. The combination of salt water brine baths in different concentrations and subsequent UVA/B irradiation is used increasingly for the treatment of psoriasis or AD. Extracorporeal photopheresis (ECP) has proven to be a very effective treatment modality for cutaneous T cell lymphoma, chronic graft-versus-host disease and certain autoimmune diseases such as systemic scleroderma or pemphigus. However, despite the documented benefits of these new treatment modalities, little data exist as of yet on potential long-term side effects, thus the indications for these therapies should be considered carefully and patients should be followed up at regular intervals.