Ultraviolet-A1 irradiation decreases clinical disease activity and autoantibodies in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

In this study we assess the effect of ultraviolet radiation, exclusively within the UV-Al (340-400 nm) range, on disease activity in SLE. Ten SLE patients were irradiated for 15 days, four of them then continuing treatment for 8 months, with low doses (60 kJ/m 2 /d) of UV-Al irradiation. They were assessed clinically and serologically before, after 3 weeks, and after 8 months of therapy. Clinical indices of disease decreased in the 10 patients after 3 weeks by 39%; they decreased in the four patients irradiated for 8 months by 70%. Antibodies to Sjogren's syndrome A (anti-SSA) or antinuclear antibodies (ANA) decreased or disappeared in most patients. There were no side effects