XML Feed for RxPG News   Add RxPG News Headlines to My Yahoo!   Javascript Syndication for RxPG News

Research Health World General
 
  Home
 
 Latest Research
 Cancer
 Psychiatry
 Genetics
 Surgery
 Aging
 Ophthalmology
 Gynaecology
 Neurosciences
 Pharmacology
 Cardiology
 Obstetrics
 Infectious Diseases
 Respiratory Medicine
 Pathology
 Endocrinology
 Immunology
 Nephrology
 Gastroenterology
 Biotechnology
 Radiology
 Dermatology
  Dermatitis
  Pemphigus
  Psoriasis
 Microbiology
 Haematology
 Dental
 ENT
 Environment
 Embryology
 Orthopedics
 Metabolism
 Anaethesia
 Paediatrics
 Public Health
 Urology
 Musculoskeletal
 Clinical Trials
 Physiology
 Biochemistry
 Cytology
 Traumatology
 Rheumatology
 
 Medical News
 Health
 Opinion
 Healthcare
 Professionals
 Launch
 Awards & Prizes
 
 Careers
 Medical
 Nursing
 Dental
 
 Special Topics
 Euthanasia
 Ethics
 Evolution
 Odd Medical News
 Feature
 
 World News
 Tsunami
 Epidemics
 Climate
 Business
 
 India
Search

Last Updated: Nov 18, 2006 - 12:32:53 PM

Dermatitis Channel
subscribe to Dermatitis newsletter

Latest Research : Dermatology : Dermatitis

   DISCUSS   |   EMAIL   |   PRINT
Home-based treatment as effective as hospital-based treatment for hand eczema
Dec 21, 2004 - 4:51:00 PM, Reviewed by: Dr.



 
An at-home hand dermatitis treatment with oral medication and use of a portable tanning unit appears to be as effective as a hospital-based treatment in reducing the symptoms of hand dermatitis, according to an article in the December issue of The Archives of Dermatology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

According to background information in the article, hand eczema, also called hand dermatitis, refers to the inflammation of the skin on the hands. This often chronic condition affects 10 percent of adults in the general population within one year, and includes scaling, redness, and blistering of the skin. One treatment option for hand dermatitis is psoralen�UV-A (PUVA). PUVA involves the administration of psoralen--either orally (as a pill) or locally (as a hand-bath soak, or applied as a gel or cream)--and subsequent exposure to UV-A light from tanning units.

A. Marco van Coevorden, M.D., from the University Hospital Groningen, the Netherlands, and colleagues compared the effectiveness of an at-home PUVA treatment (with portable tanning unit) to hospital-based hand bath PUVA in patients with moderate to severe chronic hand dermatitis. Patients in the home group (n = 78) received 30 treatments, three times a week for ten weeks. Two hours after taking an oral medication methoxsalen, the patients used a portable tanning unit on their hands, increasing the time and intensity of treatment throughout the study. Those in the hospital group (n = 80) received UV-A treatment 20 times during 10 weeks, preceded by a 15-minute hand bath with the medication trioxsalen.

The researchers found that, according to changes in hand dermatitis scores, the average improvement after ten weeks was 41 percent in the home group and 31 percent in the hospital group. Overall, the researchers reported no statistically significant difference over time and between groups. "In comparing hospital-administered bath PUVA with oral PUVA at home, both had a similar decrease in hand eczema score (clinical improvement) at the end of treatment. This effect was maintained during an eight-week follow-up period after completion of the treatment," the authors write. "In addition, patients treating themselves at home had substantially lower travel costs and substantially less time off work."
 

- December issue of The Archives of Dermatology
 

Arch Dermatol. 2004; 140:1463 � 1466

 
Subscribe to Dermatitis Newsletter
E-mail Address:

 



Related Dermatitis News

Home-based treatment as effective as hospital-based treatment for hand eczema


For any corrections of factual information, to contact the editors or to send any medical news or health news press releases, use feedback form

Top of Page

 

© Copyright 2004 onwards by RxPG Medical Solutions Private Limited
Contact Us