Psoriasis doctors is committed to providing psoriasis information from dermatologists. It's practical advice and helpful insights are provided by skin care experts with additional training and professional devotion to the care of psoriasis.
New Photherapy Guidelines for Psoriasis Treatment
October 22, 2009
The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) issued new psoriasis treatment guidelines regarding the use of phototherapy (UV Light Therapy) for the treatment of psoriasis. The guidelines were based on an extensive review of the highest-quality scientific literature on psoriasis and the opinion of recognized psoriasis experts. Recommendations for the use of the most common forms of UV light therapy, as stand-alone treatments or in conjunction with other therapies, were outlined, including patient considerations.
Forms of phototherapy covered included:
- UVB (narrow Band [NB] and broadband [BB])
- PUVA
- Excimer laser
Like all treatments for psoriasis, some patients make better candidates for UV light therapy than others.
"For the right patients and with close monitoring by a dermatologist, UV light therapy can be a safe and effective treatment for psoriasis patients who might not have responded well to other traditional therapies or for various reasons might not be good candidates for systemic medications," said Dr. Pariser, President of the AAD. "Dermatologists can recommend the best treatment plan for patients with mild to severe psoriasis, helping them improve their condition and overall quality of life."
Read the full article about new phototherapy guidelines.
Ultraviolet Light Therapy for Psoriasis – New Guidelines Issued
October 23, 2009
The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) has released new guidelines of care for the management and treatment of psoriasis with ultraviolet (UV) light therapy also known as phototherapy. Recommendations for the use of the most common forms of UV light therapy, as stand-alone treatments or in conjunction with other therapies, were outlined, including patient considerations.
Published online in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, this is the Academy's fifth of six sections of the guidelines of care for psoriasis, with four previously published sections focusing on general recommendations for the treatment of psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis, as well as the use of biologics, topical and systemic therapies.
Dermatologists Questions FDA Warning for TNF Inhibitors
December 9, 2009
The Food and Drug Administration's decision to add a warning about a possible link between tumor necrosis factor (TNF) antagonists and cancer in children goes too far, say most dermatologists contacted by Dermatology Times.
On Aug. 4, the FDA announced that manufacturers of TNF blockers must update these drugs' "black box" warnings to alert healthcare professionals of an increased risk of lymphoma and other malignancies in children and adolescents treated with them.
"The FDA mentions that 88 percent of the 48 patients who developed cancer while on TNF inhibitors were taking concomitant other systemic agents such as azathioprine and methotrexate, which also have warnings for increased risk of lymphoma," says Alan Menter, M.D., chairman, division of dermatology, Baylor University Medical Center, Dallas.
Still, Dr. Menter says, the FDA was "reasonable and honest" in concluding that, despite other contributing factors, "The role of TNF blockers in the development of malignancies in children and adolescents could not be excluded."
Coal tar in Combination with UV Light
October 2009
According to a recent article in the Journal of American Academy of Dermatology (JAAD), coal tar and phototherapy may provide the best results when used in combination to treat psoriasis.
Jerry Bagel, M.D., Clinical Assistant Professor of Dermatology at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, examined the effects of a unique combination of coal tar and Narrowband-UVB phototherapy (NB-UVB). The study evaluated the safety, efficacy, and convenience of a novel coal tar, LCD (Psorent, NeoStrata).
Patients applied LCD to half of their bodies twice daily at home and were given NB-UVB therapy to the entire body three times a week for up to 12 weeks. Dr. Bagel notes that the response was much more significant on the side of the body treated with coal tar and phototherapy. The median time to clearance or minimal disease was reduced by three weeks in at least 50 percent of the population, with statistically significant response observed the end of week four. "While both NB-UVB and coal tars are effective individually, the combination of them appears to increase efficacy within shorter spans of time," says Dr. Bagel.
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