Full-spectrum light phototherapy for atopic dermatitis.

Background: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic skin disease resulting in a profound deterioration in quality of life. The FSL® is a newly developed phototherapy device generating full-spectrum light (FSL) with a continuous wavelength (320-5000 nm). This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of FSL® phototherapy in AD.

Methods: We enrolled 38 patients with moderate to severe AD in this open, randomized, controlled, prospective study. In the FSL-irradiated group (20 patients), irradiation was conducted twice per week for 4 consecutive weeks. In the control group (18 patients), only emollient application was allowed. SCORing Atopic Dermatis (SCORAD) values were obtained at baseline, week 4 and 8. Patients were asked to give subjective assessments of improvement and laboratory tests including serum eosinophil counts, ECP levels, IgE levels and 22 cytokine levels were performed.

Results: In the FSL-irradiated group, the mean SCORAD value decreased significantly after 4 weeks of phototherapy and remained reduced for a further 4 weeks after the cessation of treatment. In the control group, the mean SCORAD value did not change significantly over the study period. Patients' subjective assessments indicated good to excellent responses in 75% of the FSL-irradiated group, by contrast with 50% of the control group. The mean values for serum eosinophil counts, IL-4 and IL-5 levels decreased significantly after FLS phototherapy. No serious adverse effects were reported.

Conclusions: In this study, we showed that FSL® phototherapy can be an effective and safe treatment option in AD.