Photoadaptation to UVB in psoriasis patients [study]

[Fred]

This study suggests starting with more aggressive protocols and increasing rapidly dosage progression to prevent Adaptation Factor (AF) may increase NB‐UVB response.

Quote:

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Background:
In the biologic era, Narrow Band Ultraviolet B (NB UVB) phototherapy stillremains a valuable, effective, inexpensive, safe anti‐psoriatic treatment Patients can lose response to NBUVB over time due to photoadaptation.This phenomenon is the tendency of the skin to respond to ultraviolet (UV) exposure by undergoing changes that may result in a decreased future response to an equivalent dose of radiation, thus leading to the need for an increased exposure during phototherapy course.

Aim:
To characterize and quantify the determinants of photoadaptation in NB UVB treated psoriatic patients.

Methods:
We enrolled 57 adult patients with moderate plaque psoriasis. Patients underwent 24 sessions of NB UVB phototherapy delivered thrice a week. Dosing was started with 70% of the Minimal Erythema Dose (MED) with percentage based dose increments every two treatments. MED as well as change in the erythema and Melanin Index (MI) were measured at baseline and at the end of phototherapy course. Moreover, an Adaptation Factor (AF) was calculated for each patient.

Results:
AF was not influenced by both baseline MED and skin type. We found a weak correlation between higher cumulative dosages and the initial MED (Spearman's rho = 0.32, p= 0.0154) as well as with the mean initial MI (Spearman's rho = 0.25, p = 0.0624, statistically borderline). Clearance and mean number of treatments were correlated (Spearman's rho = 0.48, p < 0.001).

Conclusion:
Photoadaptation is a physiological skin response that negatively influence NB‐UVB responsiveness and is not predictable by the baseline MED and skin type. Thus, starting with more aggressive protocols and increasing rapidly dosage progression to prevent AF may increase NB‐UVB response.

Source: onlinelibrary.wiley.com

*Early view funding unknown. 

[jiml]

Another interesting study that seems to conclude that the more times you have NB UVB treatment the higher the dose they need to administer ...I would have thought the increased cancer risk wasn't worth it as generally the beneficial effects of treatment don't last more than a few months ......or at least that was my experience in the past

[Turnedlight]

Given how badly I burnt in just a couple of sessions, I dread to think what it would have been like if they’d progressed to higher doses faster!

[D Foster]

They blasted me with increasing doses until in the end it just stopped working altogether. I am darkish skinned anyway and it was all through the winter so I ended up with an unbelievable sun tan.