SUPERVISED 4-WEEK HELIOTHERAPY ALLEVIATES THE LONG-TERM COURSE OF PSORIASIS

The long-term effects of psoriasis heliotherapy were studied in a rand omized cross-over trial with a 2-year follow-up. We allocated 95 patie nts randomly to receive a 4-week heliotherapy course, either at the on set or in the middle of the follow-up period. After a highly significa nt immediate alleviation of psoriasis about 50% of the patients still had a reduction of psoriasis 6 months later and about 25% one year lat er. A favourable carry-over treatment effect was still observed during the second follow-up year. Taking advantage of the cross-over design, the effect of heliotherapy was calculated to be statistically signifi cant during the first follow-up year, and the apparent long-term allev iation of psoriasis after the heliotherapy was reflected in a signific ant period effect. The alleviation of psoriasis was accompanied by a s ignificant decrease in the use of antipsoriatic treatments.