Phototherapy for atopic dermatitis with ultraviolet A (UVA), low-dose UVB and combined UVA and UVB: two paired-comparison studies

Two paired-comparison left-right studies were conducted with patients suffering from atopic dermatitis. In study 1, 18 patients were treated with low-dose ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation on one body-half and with combined UVA and UVB (UVAB) on the other 3 times a week for up to 8 weeks. Eight effect variables were recorded. Statistically significant differences in favor of UVAB were seen for 3 variables analyzed, total score, overall evaluation score and pruritus score. The healing score was likewise better with UVAB; 17 patients achieved healing or considerable improvement as compared with 5 patients with UVB treatment. The result was judged to be better with UVAB in 16 subjects and equal in 2. In none of the cases did low-dose UVB yield better results. Sixteen patients preferred UVAB to UVB, 2 had no preference, but none preferred low-dose UVB. In study 2, the arms or legs of 25 patients were treated with UVA and UVAB, respectively, 5 days a week for 3 weeks. UVAB proved to be better when comparing total score and overall evaluation score. No difference in pruritus score was detected. The healing score favored UVAB. Twenty-three patients healed or improved considerably with UVAB as compared with 17 patients with UVA. Better results were achieved with UVAB in 15 patients, with UVA in 4, and both therapies yielded equal results in 6 cases. Eighteen patients preferred UVAB, 5 UVA and 2 neither. Both UVA and UVAB yielded scores superior to untreated control patches.