Modern aspects of phototherapy for atopic dermatitis.

Phototherapy has still great importance in the treatment of atopic dermatitis, though costs, compliance, and long-term risks narrow its relevance. In spite of its long history, up to now, the therapeutic regimes are mostly empirical. Narrowband UVB und UVA1 are the most frequently applied regimens in atopic dermatitis with proven efficacy. However, even for these modalities randomized prospective and controlled studies are still pending. Advances in photoimmunology and molecular biology had demonstrated that phototherapy targets inflammatory cells, alters cytokine production, and has a significant antimicrobial effect within atopic skin. This paper summarizes the current literature on the different regimes of phototherapy and also discusses therapeutic modalities like photochemotherapy and extracorporeal photopheresis. These more complex regimes should be restricted to severe cases of atopic dermatitis, which are refractory to topical treatment.

Delayed pressure urticaria - dapsone heading for first-line therapy?

BACKGROUND: Pressure urticaria as a subform of physical urticaria is rare and treatment is often difficult. Established therapeutic regimes include antihistamines (generally exceeding approved dosages in order to achieve a therapeutic benefit) or antihistamines combined with montelukast. Complete relief of symptoms is difficult. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We used dapsone as an early therapeutic alternative in the event of treatment failure and established a standardized therapeutic regime at our clinic. We surveyed 31 patients retrospectively who had received dapsone between 2003-2009. RESULTS: In 74 % of patients in whom symptoms persisted despite established therapies, the results of treatment with dapsone were good or very good. Longer-term pressure urticaria and the co-existence of a chronic spontaneous urticaria were associated with a smaller benefit (p<0.05). No significant effects were found related to age, gender, duration of therapy, side-effects, or Met-Hb elevation (a tendency toward a decreased benefit was associated with middle-age, male sex, shorter duration of therapy, observed side-effects, and Met-Hb elevation). CONCLUSIONS: Therapy is well tolerated and results in a good therapeutic benefit which lasts after termination of therapy. With adequate monitoring, the use of dapsone in patients with pressure urticaria has such a good risk-benefit ratio that we support early treatment initiation.

Regulation of cellular immunity by Photo(chemo)therapy.

Phototherapy and photochemotherapy are important treatment regimens for inflammatory as well as malignant diseases in dermatology. Both treatment modalities have been developed already three decades ago and therefore profound knowledge exists on the use, efficacy, and long-term side effects. Since the development of new mmunosuppressive medications, biologics, and changes in medical reimbursement policies, phototherapy is currently less frequently used compared to previous years to treat psoriasis or atopic dermatitis. However, cost-effectiveness analysis demonstrated that phototherapy can significantly induce therapeutic beneficial effects on a large number of inflammatory and malignant skin disorders at a low cost of treatment rate. Since many chronic skin disorders require rotational treatment regimens to decrease the development of (long-term) adverse events, phototherapy will play an important role in dermatology in future years. In the following the molecular as well as cellular mechanisms of phototherapy are described and discussed in light of the fact that photobiology is a very active field in biomedical research.