Phototherapy in Childhood

BACKGROUND: Little data exist about the efficacy of phototherapy in childhood dermatoses. OBJECTIVE: To report our experience with pediatric patients treated with phototherapy. METHODS: The study included children <or=17 years of age, who were treated in our phototherapy unit between 1985 and 2005. Data were retrospectively collected. RESULTS: The study included 113 patients (50 boys, 63 girls) with a median of age of 13 years (range: 3-17 yrs). Narrow-band ultraviolet-B (34.6%), and ultraviolet-B (33.1%) were the most common treatments administered to the patients. Indications for phototherapy were psoriasis in 53.5%, vitiligo in 20.5%, pityriasis lichenoides in 14.2%, alopecia areata in 7.9%. Response was achieved in 92.9% of the psoriasis patients treated with narrow-band ultraviolet-B, in 83.3% treated with psoralen plus ultraviolet-A, and in 93.3% with ultraviolet-B. All the pityriasis lichenoides chronica patients who received narrow-band ultraviolet-B responded to the treatment and seven of nine treated with ultraviolet-B had a response. Response was achieved in 57% of the vitiligo patients treated with psoralen plus ultraviolet-A and in 50% of vitiligo patients treated with narrow-band ultraviolet-B. Of the 10 alopecia areata patients, two responded to psoralen plus ultraviolet-A. Among all the patients, erythema was the most common adverse effect. CONCLUSION: Phototherapy is a well-tolerated treatment for childhood dermatoses, and is especially efficacious in psoriasis and pityriasis lichenoides chronica patients.