| Listed below are just a few of the research studies that have been published in reputable medical journals in relation to UV Therapy for Psoriasis. Links to the summaries of the research papers have been provided. For the full research papers, please go to www.purplehealth.com
Quality of Life improves - Psoriasis & UV TreatmentPsoriasis is a chronic fluctuating dermatosis with demonstrable impact on patients' quality of life. Our aim was to investigate if narrowband UVB phototherapy administered to psoriatic patients in a standardized manner leads to an improvement in patients' perceived quality of life. A total of 138 patients with psoriasis were recruited from referrals to the Skin and Cancer Foundation, Australia between January 1998 and September 2002. Patients had psoriasis inadequately controlled by topical therapies alone and no contraindications to the use of phototherapy. Patients completed a pre- and post-therapy questionnaire on quality of life parameters. The differences in mean and standard deviation of quality of life parameters were measured using a paired sample t-test based on pre- and post-phototherapy questionnaires. Ninety patients were included in the study. Forty-eight patients were excluded as they had not completed post-phototherapy questionnaires. The course of narrowband UVB phototherapy was found to significantly improve quality of life in psoriasis patients (P <or= 0.005). We conclude that narrowband UVB phototherapy improves quality of life in patients with psoriasis.Australas J Dermatol. 2006 Feb;47(1):37-40 Quality of life in psoriasis improves after standardized administration of narrowband UVB phototherapy. Lim C, Brown P. UVB Treatment for Psoriasis - Excellent ChoiceThe cost of treating severe psoriasis has risen dramatically, and treatment options  vary widely in terms of cost and efficacy. However, little information is available on the relative costs of home phototherapy and other long-term management options, specifically in the context of managed care. A payer-perspective cost model was developed to estimate and compare the direct expenditures associated with a 30-year course of various treatments for severe psoriasis. Within two years of treatment initiation, home-administered ultraviolet B phototherapy was less costly than any of the other treatments examined, including methotrexate, psoralen plus ultraviolet A, the retinoid acitretin, and new biologic agents. In addition, the efficacy and safety profile of home ultraviolet B phototherapy make it an excellent choice for extended management.Home ultraviolet B phototherapy: a cost-effective option for severe psoriasis. Yelverton CB, Kulkarni AS, Balkrishnan R, Feldman SR. Department of Dermatology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA. | |
