A retrospective review of factors associated with response to phototherapy and PUVA for atopic eczema.

There is randomised study evidence that narrowband ultraviolet B (NB-UVB) is effective for eczema. A small controlled study did not detect an efficacy difference between bath 8-MOP PUVA (psoralen drug with the main effects limited to the skin as the drug is 'activated' there by ultraviolet A [UVA] exposure) and NB-UVB. Another small randomised study showed that 5-MOP oral PUVA worked better than medium-dose ultraviolet A1 (UVA1). A systematic review concluded that NB-UVB and ultraviolet A1 were the most effective phototherapies for eczema and pointed out the limited comparative evidence regarding PUVA.