Photochemotherapy for psoriasis with orally administered methoxsalen

Area of Science:

• Dermatology
• Photobiology
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin condition.
• Severe generalized psoriasis often requires effective treatment options.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of photochemotherapy for severe, generalized psoriasis.
• To compare photochemotherapy with other ultraviolet light treatments.

Main Methods:

• Administered oral methoxsalen followed by high-intensity long-wave ultraviolet light (320-390 nm).
• Assessed treatment outcomes in 91 patients with severe psoriasis.
• Conducted a paired comparison with fluorescent and xenon UV sources in 54 patients.

Main Results:

• Achieved complete skin clearing in 90% of patients.
• Demonstrated superior efficacy compared to standard ultraviolet light sources.
• Outpatient maintenance treatment resulted in remission for up to 400 days in 85% of patients.

Conclusions:

• Photochemotherapy with oral methoxsalen and UVA is a highly effective treatment for severe psoriasis.
• This therapeutic approach offers significant and sustained improvement for patients.
• It represents a superior alternative to conventional ultraviolet light therapies.