PHOTOSENSITIVITY DERMATITIS ACTINIC RETICULOID SYNDROME IN AN IRISH POPULATION - A REVIEW AND SOME UNUSUAL FEATURES

Nine patients with photosensitivity dermatitis and actinic reticuloid syndrome are reported. The rash affected light-exposed skin only in 7 patients and extended to covered sites in 2. Seven were sensitive to U VB, UVA and visible light, one to UVA and one to visible light only. T wo patients had significant clinical improvement in spite of both havi ng suffered severe disease previously. Another patient remains exquisi tely light-sensitive after 20 years and has developed two squamous cel l carcinomas, one of which metastasized to local lymph nodes, and two keratoacanthomas on light-exposed skin.