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Photosensitivity in atopic dermatitis: demonstration of abnormal response to UVB
C H Keong1, Y Kurumaji, C Miyamoto
1Department of Dermatology, School of Medicine, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Japan.
Abstract:
It is a well-known fact among clinicians that sunlight may exacerbate atopic dermatitis (AD), but little is known beyond that. In a preliminary study investigating this phenomenon, 19 patients with AD were selected for phototests. All of them had a normal minimal erythema dose (MED). However, 3 patients (15.7%) demonstrated abnormal cutaneous responses 24-72 h after provocation with ultraviolet light B (UVB). None of the patients had a positive response to pure ultraviolet light A (UVA) irradiation of up to 9 J/cm2. The photobiological results of this study confirm the existence of photosensitivity in AD and indicate that UVB wavelengths are responsible for it.