Urticaria, commonly unknown as hives, most often is an acute immune reaction to either foods/ drugs or infections. However, in some cases the disease can be chronic. Luckily, in most cases, the condition responds well to a combination of anti-histamines. However in some cases one has to resort to alternative therapies like phototherapy. There are two main types of phototherapy available (PUVA and UVB). The study below is interesting because it shows that there is really nothing much to chose between these treatment modalities.
Comparative study of systemic psoralen and ultraviolet A and narrowband ultraviolet B in treatment of chronic urticaria.
Source
Department of Dermatology and Venereology, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.
Abstract
BACKGROUND:
Previous success rates of psoralen and ultraviolet A (PUVA) and narrowband UVB (NB-UVB) in the treatment of chronic urticaria are reported in few studies with no previous reports on the comparable efficacy of both modalities in the disease.
AIM:
We aimed to compare the efficacy of PUVA versus NB-UVB in the treatment of chronic urticaria.
METHODS:
Twenty-four patients with chronic urticaria were included and divided into two groups: 12 patients subjected to PUVA and 12 subjected to NB-UVB. They were compared according to the urticaria Total Severity Score (TSS) before and after treatment, cumulative dose, and side effects.
RESULTS:
There was a statistically significant decrease in urticaria TSS in both the NB-UVB- and PUVA-treated groups after than before treatment (P?<?0.05), with no significant difference between both groups regarding the percentage of improved patients and the mean decrease of urticaria TSS (P?>?0.05). Gastrointestinal upset was reported at a significantly higher percentage in the PUVA-treated group than in the NB-UVB-treated group.
CONCLUSION:
Both NB-UVB and PUVA show comparable efficacy in the treatment of chronic urticaria with minimal reversible side effects.
© 2013 John Wiley & Sons A/S.