SELECTIVE HAND PUVA-BATH PHOTOCHEMOTHERAP Y OF ACRODERMATITIS CONTINUA OF HALLOPEAU

A 73-year-old man presented with severe, relapsing acrodermatitis cont inua of Hallopeau, which had been resistant to prior local and systemi c therapy for eight years. The patient was treated with selective hand PUVA-bath photochemotherapy. The cumulative dose of UVA used over 10 weeks of treatment was 54,6 J/cm(2) on the palms and 26,8 J/cm(2) on t he dorsum of the hands. The single UVA doses ranged from 0,5 to 2,5 J/ cm(2) on the palms and 0,2 to 1,4 J/cm(2) on the dorsum of the hands. After 16 treatment sessions,the acrodermatitis continua started to imp rove, and after 24 treatments, had cleared completely. In the four mon ths following the PUVA thera py, there was no relapse. PUVA-bath photo chemotherapy is an efficient therapeutic alternative in the treatment of acrodermatitis continua due to its clinical effectiveness and lack of any systemic side effects. It also possesses the advantage of allow ing selective photosensitation of certain areas of the skin such as th e hands.