 |
|
Comparison of Oral Psoralen–UV-A With a Portable Tanning Unit at Home vs Hospital-Administered Bath Psoralen–UV-A in Patients With Chronic Hand Eczema
An Open-Label Randomized Controlled Trial of Efficacy
A. Marco van Coevorden, MD;
Willeke G. Kamphof, MD;
Eric van Sonderen, PhD;
Derk P. Bruynzeel, MD, PhD;
Pieter-Jan Coenraads, MD, PhD, MPH
Arch Dermatol. 2004;140:1463-1466.
Objective To study whether oral psoralen–UV-A (PUVA) with a portable tanning unit at home is as effective as hospital-administered bath PUVA in patients with chronic hand eczema.
Design Open-label randomized controlled trial, with a 10-week treatment period and an 8-week follow-up period.
Setting Two university hospital dermatology departments in the Netherlands, specializing in hand eczema.
Patients One hundred fifty-eight patients with moderate to severe chronic hand eczema (more than 1 year in duration).
Interventions Oral PUVA using methoxsalen capsules and a simple portable commercial facial tanning unit, or hospital-administered bath PUVA with trioxsalen.
Main Outcome Measures The primary outcome was clinical assessment by a hand eczema score (evaluation of desquamation, erythema, vesiculation, infiltration, fissures, itch, and pain, each on a 4-point scale) after 10 weeks of treatment. The secondary outcome was hand eczema score at 8 weeks of follow-up, after completion of treatment. The tertiary outcome was travel cost and time off work.
Results Both groups showed a comparable and substantial decrease in hand eczema score (meaningful clinical improvement). This decrease was maintained during the follow-up period. Patients treated with oral PUVA at home had lower travel costs and less time off work.
Conclusions Oral PUVA at home has a clinically relevant efficacy, similar to that of hospital-administered bath PUVA. This effect was maintained during an 8-week follow-up period. It resulted in lower travel costs and less time off work.
Author Affiliations: Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands (Drs van Coevorden and Coenraads); Department of Dermatology, VU Medical Centre, Amsterdam, the Netherlands (Drs Kamphof and Bruynzeel); and Northern Centre for Healthcare Research, University of Groningen (Dr van Sonderen).
THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES
PUVA for Chronic Hand Eczema: Better to Stay at Home
Journal Watch Dermatology 2005;2005:5-5.
FULL TEXT
|
