Narrow-band UVB treatment in atopic dermatitis.

MATERIAL AND METHODS Fig. 1. Narrow-band UVB (NB-UVB) and combined UVAB treatTen adult patients (mean age 27 years) with symmetrical AD were ment results in half-side comparison study in 10 patients with atopic included in the half-side (right/left) comparison study. One side of the dermatitis ( 5 NB-UVB; 5 UVAB). body was treated with narrow-band UVB, the other with combined UVAB. The light source for narrow-band UVB was Waldman TL01 (initial dose 0.33 J/cm2, maximum dose 0.6± 2.10 J/cm2). Combined has previously been reported e cient in AD (2, 3) and has UVAB was given in a Waldman cabin (UVA F85/100W; UVB been in routine use in our department for several years. In the F85/100W/UV21) with initial doses of 2.0 J/cm2 for UVA and 0.02 J/ present study, individual minimal erythema doses were not cm2 for UVB, and maximum doses of 4.0± 10.7 J/cm2 and 0.06± 0.17 J/ cm2, respectively. Treatment was given 3 times a week for 6 weeks. measured, but we used an in-house standard regimen for The patients used the same emollient cream during the treatment combined UVAB and about equi-erythemogenic doses for course and, if needed, they were also allowed to use 1% hydronarrow-band UVB. Our comparison results evaluated by cortisone cream. SCORAD showed that the narrow-bandUVB was as eŒective Treatment eŒects were evaluated for both sides of the body with as the combined UVAB. The eŒects solely on pruritus and SCORAD (10) at 3 and 6 weeks on treatment, and 6 weeks after stopping the therapy. The scoring investigator was blinded to the type patient preference are clearly better for narrow-band UVB of UV treatment given for each side of the body. than for combined UVAB. In agreement with the narrow-band UVB results in the