UVB PHOTOTHERAPY FOR PRURITUS IN POLYCYTHEMIA-VERA

We report our experience in the treatment of four patients with prurit us associated with polycythaemia vera with UVB phototherapy. A bank of six 40-W tubes (Philips TL12) with an emission spectrum ranging from 290 to 320 nm (peak at 300 nm) was employed. The first irradiation dos e was two-thirds of the minimal erythema dose (MED). The treatment sch edule consisted of three irradiation sessions per week with dose incre ments equal to root 2 each session. A complete remission of pruritus w as achieved in three of the four patients after a mean of 24 treatment s (total dose 11.94 J/cm(2)).