El-Mofty Medhat, El Weshahy Hany, Youssef Randa, Abdel-Halim Mona, Mashaly Heba, El Hawary Marwa
Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
Photodermatol Photoimmunol Photomed. 2008 Feb;24(1):38-42. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0781.2008.00334.x.
Photochemotherapy psoralen and ultraviolet A (PUVA) is a viable option for treatment of psoriasis. However, concerns about its side effects have raised the need to change current PUVA protocols. The aim of this study is to determine whether reducing the treatment frequency of PUVA to twice/week instead of three times/week would affect the efficacy of PUVA therapy.
The study included 20 psoriatic patients, randomized into two groups, 10 patients in each group. The first group received two weekly sessions, the second group received three. The study lasted until complete clearance or for 12 weeks (endpoint). Psoriasis area and severity index (PASI) score was done prior to therapy, at mid therapy and at end of therapy (PASI final).
No significant different in PASI final and in the percentage of reduction of PASI score between both groups (P value >0.05) was found. However, a significant difference in the total number of sessions and the total cumulative UVA doses between both groups was found (P value <0.001).
Our study suggests reducing PUVA frequency and the cumulative UVA dose does not compromise the efficacy of PUVA, but it may improve its benefit/risk ratio. RESTRICTIONS: Few number of cases.
光化学疗法（补骨脂素与紫外线A，PUVA）是治疗银屑病的一种可行选择。然而，对其副作用的担忧引发了改变当前PUVA方案的需求。本研究的目的是确定将PUVA治疗频率降至每周两次而非每周三次是否会影响PUVA疗法的疗效。
该研究纳入20例银屑病患者，随机分为两组，每组10例。第一组每周接受两次治疗，第二组每周接受三次治疗。研究持续至完全清除或持续12周（终点）。在治疗前、治疗中期和治疗结束时（最终PASI）进行银屑病面积和严重程度指数（PASI）评分。
两组之间的最终PASI以及PASI评分降低百分比均未发现显著差异（P值>0.05）。然而，两组之间的治疗总次数和UVA总累积剂量存在显著差异（P值<0.001）。
我们的研究表明，降低PUVA频率和UVA累积剂量不会损害PUVA的疗效，但可能会改善其效益/风险比。限制条件：病例数量少。
