Korean J Dermatol.  1983 Oct;21(5):499-505.

Emollient-Phototherapy for Psoriasis

• Youn JI
• Lee AY
• Lee YS

Abstract

The present study was undertaken to evaluate the efficacy of white petrolatum-UVB therapy on patients with psoriasis. Nineteen patients with chronic plaque type psoriasis selected in the Department of Dermatology, Seoul National University Hospital were treated with white petrolatum followed by exposure to UVB. Clinical response to therapy was graded as follows: Grade 1: Minimal improvement, Grade 2: Definite improvement Grade 3 Considerable improvement, Grade 4: Clearing. We campared the clinical response according to involved site: trunk and extremity. A responsive case was defined as a case with G4 in trunk and/or extremities. The results can be summarized as follows: 1. Fourteen of the 19 patients(73. 7%) were classified as being responsive cases. 2. Among the responsive cases, the 11 cases of trunk lesion all showed G4 clea- ring. The extremities lesion cases showed G4 clearing in 9 out of 14 cases, the other 5 cases showing GR. This showed that the trunk lesions were more responsive to the treatment than the extremities lesions. 3. In the cases of trunk lesions, the mean number of therapy was 6. 3 for G2 response, 11. 2 for GR and 16. 7 for GR. In the cases of extremities lesions, the mean number of the therapy was 8. 6 for G2, 16. 1 for GR and 19. 2 for Gl. 4. Pruritus was a complaint in 13 patients (68. 4%) during therapy. Among them moderate to severe pruritus was noticed in 6 cases (51. 6%). From the above results the emollient phototherapy seems to be an effective therapy in the treatment of psoriasis.

MeSH Terms

Dermatology
Extremities
Humans
Petrolatum
Phototherapy
Pruritus
Psoriasis*
Seoul
Petrolatum