Tazarotene gel with narrow-band UVB phototherapy: a synergistic combination in psoriasis

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Narrow-band UVB (NB-UVB) has been shown to be one of the most effective treatment modalities for psoriasis. Tazarotene, a known effective anti-psoriatic modality, when combined with NB-UVB may enhance the therapeutic success. OBJECTIVE: To study clinical efficacy and safety of combination of NB-UVB with topical tazarotene 0.05% gel in psoriasis. METHOD: Thirty patients with plaque psoriasis having symmetrical lesions were enrolled for 12 weeks. All patients were instructed to apply tazarotene gel on target plaque on left side of body once daily. In addition, the whole body was irradiated with NB-UVB twice weekly. Efficacy was assessed by target plaque scoring and number of treatment sessions for clearance. RESULT: Our study resulted in 3 key findings: Firstly, therapeutic efficacy of NB-UVB was enhanced by addition of tazarotene. This enhanced efficacy was more apparent in decreasing scaling and thickness as compared to decrease in erythema. Secondly, combination therapy showed faster clearance of target plaques, with reduction in mean number of treatment sessions. Thirdly, mean cumulative NB-UVB dose needed to achieve clearance of target plaques was significantly reduced with combination therapy. STUDY LIMITATIONS: The study was not randomized or controlled, but an open-label trial. The study period was relatively short, i.e., 12 weeks, without any follow-up period. CONCLUSION: Tazarotene gel significantly enhances the therapeutic efficacy of NB-UVB irradiation with faster clearance and without serious side effects.

C-reactive protein serum level in patients with psoriasis before and after treatment with narrow-band ultraviolet B

Abstract: Background: C-reactive protein is an inflammatory biomarker and its level increases in the serum of psoriatic patients. Its level is also associated with Psoriasis Area and Severity Index score. Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the decrement of serum C-reactive protein level with narrow-band ultraviolet B (NB-UVB) therapy. Methods: C-reactive protein serum levels in psoriasis patients were measured before and after treatment with NB-UVB and the data were analyzed in relation to the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index score improvement. Results: Baseline C-reactive protein levels among psoriatic patients were higher than normal. These levels decreased significantly after treatment (P<0.001). At the beginning of the study, patients with higher levels of C-reactive protein also had more extensive and severe skin involvement. The highest decrease in C-reactive protein was observed in patients who responded better to the treatment and achieved a higher Psoriasis Area and Severity Index 75%. There was an association between baseline Psoriasis Area and Severity Index scores and C-reactive protein levels. Conclusion: Patients with moderate to severe plaque-type psoriasis had active systemic inflammation, which was demonstrated by increased levels of C-reactive protein. Furthermore, skin disease severity was correlated with C-reactive protein levels. Phototherapy healed the psoriatic skin lesions and reduced inflammation, while decreasing C-reactive protein levels.

Evaluation of 25 years of phototherapy for treating psoriasis at a teaching hospital in southern Spain

AbstractBACKGROUND:For years, phototherapy has been used in a wide range of skin diseases, which is unsurprising as skin is the anatomical feature most directly exposed to light, especially in psoriasis. Although the role of light therapy has been replaced by different therapeutic modalities in recent years, this treatment is now an established option for many skin diseases.OBJECTIVES:The aim was to characterize the patient population thathad received the aforementioned treatment in the Virgen Macarena Health Area in Seville (Spain) between June 1985 and October 2011.METHODS:We have designed a descriptive study with a univariate analysis covering 443 treatments with light therapy, all administered to the same number of patients suffering from psoriasis.RESULTS:79.15% of patients were discharged due to improvement or healing, while the 20.85% were discharged due to other reasons. The average total accumulative dose was 131.53 J/cm2. We do not detected an increase in proportion in patients for develop NMSK after light therapy treatment.CONCLUSIONS:We consider that phototherapy is still an effective and efficient treatment that will have to be reconsidered in the current macroeconomic context.

Advances in phototherapy for psoriasis.

Ultraviolet light has a wide spectrum of effects on human skin depending on the wavelength. Ultraviolet light often used for therapy of psoriasis comprises of electromagnetic spectrum ranging from 200nm – 400nm. Phototherapy of psoriasis is frequently used in combination regimens to achieve higher clearance rates, longer disease-free intervals, and to reduce the patient`s cumulative radiation dose thereby lowering the carcinogenic risk. Phototherapy may be combined with topical or systemic agents. Topical agents most commonly used are anthralin, tar, vitamin D analogues and tazarotene. Among systemic agents, retinoids are the most widely used. Ultraviolet B wavelengths in the range of 300-313nm is more efficacious than conventional broad-band UV-B [Philips TL 40W/12 lamp] and causes greater remission of psoriatic lesions. 311nm narrow-band UV-B (TL-01) phototherapy is more effective and probably has no greater risk than conventional UV-B (TL-12) phototherapy in the treatment of psoriasis.

Photochemotherapy (PUVA) in psoriasis and vitiligo.

Phototherapy with photochemotherapy (PUVA) is a well‑known and well‑studied modality for the treatment of psoriasis, which involves systemic or topical administration of chemicals known as psoralens and administration of ultraviolet light in increasing dosages after requisite time gap. PUVA is also used in the treatment of widespread vitiligo with moderately good results, though it is being surpassed by ultraviolet B (UVB), which is equally or slightly more efficacious with fewer side effects. PUVA induces repigmentation by varying mechanisms such as stimulation of melanogenesis, immunomodulation and activation of growth factors, though the exact mechanism is still speculative. There are various studies evaluating the efficacy of PUVA in psoriasis as well as in vitiligo, either alone or in combination with other immunosuppressants like azathioprine and calcipotriene.

Fototerapia ultravioleta B de banda angosta para el tratamiento de psoriasis, micosis fungoide y vitiligo / Phototherapy UVB Narrow Band treatment of Psoriasis, Mycosis fungoides and Vitiligo

Numerosos estudios han demostrado el efecto beneficioso de la radiación ultravioleta para el tratamiento de enfermedades cutáneas inflamatorias o linfoproliferativas. Objetivos. Determinar la respuesta a la terapia con ultravioleta B, banda angosta (UVB-ba) en psoriasis, micosis fungoide en estadio IA, IB y vitiligo, en el Servicio de Dermatología del Hospital Privado desde mayo de 2009 a enero de 2011. Correlacionar la dosis de energía total utilizada y el número total de sesiones con la respuesta alcanzada en cada patología. Describir las reacciones adversas, determinar las características demográficas de la población y comorbilidades asociadas en psoriasis y vitiligo. Material y métodos. Se diseñó un estudio prospectivo, descriptivo, analítico, observacional. Se incluyó a todos los pacientes que consultaron para iniciar UVB-ba. De los pacientes que consultaron para inicio de UVB-ba, pero no iniciaron o abandonaron, se realizó una encuesta para evaluar las causas. Se calculó la dosis acumulada y el número de sesiones al final del tratamiento. Resultados. En psoriasis consultaron 49, pero iniciaron 25 pacientes. El 56% de los pacientes mejoró su score PASI más del 50%. En micosis fungoide, consultaron 16 pacientes y comenzaron 14. El 78,55% logró mejoría clínica mayor al 50%. A pesar de que el número de pacientes con vitíligo es escaso (6), el 50% logró repigmentación entre el 26 y 65% de su superficie corporal, y un paciente mayor al 66%. Conclusiones. La fototerapia con UVB-ba constituye una buena opción terapéutica en nuestros pacientes con patologías cuyo uso ya ha sido establecido en estudios previos, como psoriasis, vitiligo y micosis fungoide...

Características clínico-epidemiológicas de pacientes en fototerapia por psoriasis en el Hospital Hernán Henríquez Aravena entre los años 2007 y 2009 / Clinical-epidemiological characteristics of phototherapy psoriasis patients in Hernan Henriquez Aravena Hospital between 2007-2009

La psoriasis es un trastorno crónico común de la piel, se caracteriza por pápulas eritematosas y escamas blancas, aunque el diagnóstico diferencial de la psoriasis es amplio, en la gran mayoría de los casos sólo se necesita la anamnesis y el examen físico. En el tratamiento, la luz ultravioleta (UV) ha sido reconocida como beneficiosa a través de sus efectos antiproliferativos y anti- inflamatorios. El propósito nuestro trabajo es describir las características clínicas y epidemiológicas de esta patología en pacientes sometidos a fototerapia en el Hospital Hernán Henríquez Aravena de Temuco entre septiembre de 2007 y diciembre 2009.Se realizó un estudio retrospectivo en el que se revisaron fichas clínicas y informes de fototerapia de 60 pacientes portadores de psoriasis. El tipo clínico más común fue la psoriasis en placa con un 90 por ciento de los casos, seguida de psoriasis eritrodérmica con un 5 por ciento, el tipo de piel más común fue el Tipo 2 con un 87,7 por ciento de los casos. En cuanto a la severidad, la psoriasis moderada fue el 46,8 por ciento de los casos, con un índice de severidad y área de psoriasis (PASI) promedio del grupo estudiado de 11,61 siendo el tipo de psoriasis con mayor gravedad el tipo eritrodérmica (p=0,008). La asociación entre severidad y tipo de piel fue significativa siendo los tipos de piel 1 el que presentó mayor severidad (p=0,012). Nuestro estudio demostró algunas asociaciones significativas entre severidad y tipo de psoriasis, y con tipo de piel. Además de una frecuencia similar en ambos sexos coincidiendo con lo reportado en la literatura.

Psoriasis is a common chronic disorder of the skin which is generally characterized by red papules and white scales. Differential diagnosis of Psoriasis is wide, but it is possible to reach a proper diagnosis with the clinical history and physical examination. For the treatment Ultraviolet light (UV) has been recognized as beneficial, through both antoproliferative and antiinflamatory effects. The purpose of our work is to describe the clinical and epidemiologic features of this pathology in patients with diagnosis of psoriasis submitted for phototherapy in Hospital Hernan Henríquez Aravena of Temuco, between September 2007 and December 2009. A retrospective study was conducted in which there were review medical records and phototherapy protocols of 60 patients with diagnosis of psoriasis. The most common clinical type was the Plaque Psoriasis with 90 percent of the cases, followed by Erythrodermic Psoriasis with 5 percent. The most common skin type was type 2 with 87.7 percent of the cases. Regarding severity, moderate psoriasis presented in 46.8 percent of the cases, with an average Psoriasis area ans severity index (PASI) score of the studied group of 11.61, the type of mayor severity was the Erythrodermic psoriasis (p=0,008). The association between severity and type of skin was significant, being the patients with skin type 1 the ones that presented an increased disease severity (p = 0.012). Our study showed some significant associations between severity and type of psoriasis, and type of skin. Besides the similarity of frequence between genders coincides with previous literature reports.

Interleukin-2 psoriasis evaluation of red vs. mediterranean sea bathing and uvb irradiation

Sixty psoriatic patients were studied to determine the effect of climatotherapy on their serum interleukin-2 and psoriatic lesions. They were divided into two groups bathed in Red and Mediterranean Sea water, followed by irradiation with incremental doses of UVB lamp three times weekly for four weeks. The study also included twenty healthy persons for detection of their serum IL-2 as a control group. The results showed a significant decrease of both serum IL-2 and PASI [psoriatic area and severity index] after treatment compared with those before treatment in both groups. The improvement may be due to a decreased number of Langerhans cells which decreased the immune reaction as a result of exposure to UVB. Also, sea water bathing may express osmotic pressure causing IL-2 to pass out of skin giving rise to improvement together with decrease of the mitotic rate of epidermis due to high salt concentration. There was no significant statistical difference in treatment with Red vs. Mediterranean Sea water bathing

Radiotherapy, methotrexate, and topical keratolytic in treatment of psoriasis in a comparative study

In this study eighteen psoriatic patients were treated by various lines of therapy [local keratolytic, systemic methotrexate and radiotherapy] in order to evaluate the pathological changes in psoriasis under different therapies by cell counting study pre - and post-treatment. It was found that there were insignificant statistical difference in the different type of cells before and after using local therapy, while, there were statistical significant reduction in the percentage of mitotic cells after methotrexate. Also, there were very highly significant and highly significant reduction in the percentage of mitotic and resting cells respectively after radiotherapy. While, there was very highly significant statistical increase in the percentage of degenerating cells after radiotherapy