THURSDAY, March 3, 2016 (HealthDay News) -- Excimer laser (308 nm) is efficacious for patients with chronic hand and foot eczema (CHFE), according to research published online Feb. 24 in the International Journal of Dermatology.
Anjali Shroff, M.D., from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City, and colleagues conducted a retrospective chart review involving 30 patients with recalcitrant CHFE (19 with hand involvement, four with foot involvement, and seven with both). Participants were treated twice weekly with excimer laser (308 nm) single wavelength ultraviolet (UV)-B radiation.
The researchers observed improvements in clinical scores, which included a 69 percent decrease in the average physician's global assessment scores (from 2.77 at baseline to 0.87 after treatment; P < 0.0001). A parallel reduction was seen in the average modified total lesion/symptom score (from 10.2 to 3.1; P < 0.0001). Mild sunburn-like reactions were seen.
"Compared to other UV therapies, excimer laser offers lower cumulative doses of UV radiation by targeting specific areas," the authors write. "This effective treatment should be considered alone or in combination with other established or newer therapies."
Several authors disclosed financial ties to the biopharmaceutical industry.
Abstract
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