PUVA therapy

PUVA is an acronym for psoralen plus UV -A ( also photochemotherapy ). With this combination of long-wave UV light and are naturally occurring substance in the essential oils of various plants whose photosensitizing psoralen be exploited for therapeutic purposes.

Is applied PUVA therapy in dermatology to treat pronounced forms of psoriasis, eczema, vitiligo, and cutaneous T -cell lymphomas such as mycosis fungoides and the Sézary syndrome. It can also alternatively to UVA1 therapy in urticaria pigmentosa, the cutaneous form of mastocytosis, are used for therapy.

A distinction between the systemic and topical PUVA therapy. PUVA therapy or systemic photosensitizer 8-methoxypsoralen (8- MOP) is administered orally two hours prior to irradiation. When topical PUVA therapy a psoralenhaltige cream is applied to the affected skin areas or bathe the affected areas in a drug-containing water before irradiation.

Before treatment, the patient should be thoroughly informed about possible side effects, as it may cause serious burns after treatment with UV light (sunlight, tanning beds ) short-term and long-term risk for disease may increase in certain forms of skin cancer. A careful risk-benefit analysis must be carried out by the doctor.

Other drugs may act lichtsensibilisierend such as the immunosuppressive drug cyclosporine, which is administered, inter alia, post-transplant in order to reduce the risk of rejection. When treated with PUVA a strong burning of the skin and damage to the underlying tissue may in appropriate cases arise.