Guidelines for bath PUVA, bathing suit PUVA and soak PUVA

Area of Science:

• Dermatology
• Phototherapy
• Evidence-based medicine

Background:

• Psoriasis vulgaris and other skin conditions require effective treatment options.
• Psoralen plus ultraviolet A (PUVA) therapy is a recognized treatment modality.
• Different forms of PUVA, including bath, bathing suit, and soak PUVA, exist.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide guidelines for dermatologists on using specific PUVA therapies.
• To encourage the adoption of bath PUVA, bathing suit PUVA, and soak PUVA.
• To outline the efficacy and safety of various PUVA methods for dermatological conditions.

Main Methods:

• Systematic literature search of PubMed, MEDLINE, and COCHRANE databases.
• Keywords used included "bath PUVA," "soak PUVA," "bathing suit PUVA," and "turban PUVA."
• Inclusion criteria focused on English-language publications.

Main Results:

• 138 studies were initially evaluated.
• 57 studies met the inclusion criteria for the review.
• Analysis focused on the effectiveness and safety of different PUVA modalities.

Conclusions:

• Bath PUVA and bathing suit PUVA are highly effective and safe for generalized stable plaque psoriasis (Grade A recommendation).
• Soak PUVA demonstrates high effectiveness for palmoplantar psoriasis and chronic palmoplantar eczema (Grade A recommendation).
• These findings support the use of specific PUVA bath and suit therapies for indicated dermatological conditions.