ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Although retinoid and PUVA monotherapy is effective for psoriasis, both treatment regimens have some limitations because of the risk of long-term toxicity. OBJECTIVE: We performed Re-PUVA combination therapy to evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety in comparison with retinoid and PUVA monotherapy. METHODS: Seventy-eight psoriasis patients received Re-PUVA combination therapy as well as conventional retinoid and PUVA monotherapy. Pretreatment with etretinate for 1 week was followed by PUVA therapy in combination with etretinate. RESULTS: 1. Among patients who received Re-PUVA combination therapy, clearing was shown in 77.3% and improvement in 13.6%, which were higher than retinoid, 27.8%/61.1%, and PUVA monotherapy, 65.8%/21.0%.2. In patients who reached grade 4 with Re-PUVA therapy, the duration and total dose of etretinate were 56.4 days and 1616mg. These were significantly lower than retinoid monotherapy, 107.5 days and 2577.5mg.3. In patients who reached grade 4 with Re-PUVA therapy, the number and total dose of UVA were 13.3 and 82.8 J/cm2, which showed no difference compared with those of PUVA monotherapy, 16.2 and 120.2 J/cm2. However, excluding the cases who did not respond to previous monotherapy, the number and total dose of UVA in Re-PUVA were 10.4 and 49.0J/cm2, which were significantly lower than those of PUVA4. The side effects of Re-PUVA were reported in 54.5%, which were similar to PUVA monotherapy, 52.6%, and lower than retinoid monotherapy, 83.3%. There were some side effects of retinoid, such as cheilitis, dry mouth, elevation of sGOT/sGPT and triglycerides, and side effects of PUVA, such as itching, erythema, anorexia, nausea and vomiting. CONCLUSION: Our study suggests that Re-PUVA combination therapy is more effective and tolerable than retinoid and PUVA monotherapy in the treatment of psoriasis, especially in severe and recalcitrant cases.