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Phototherapy with ultraviolet radiation: a study of hormone parameters and psychological effects
Author(s) -
Edström DW,
Linder J,
Wennersten G,
Brismar K,
Ros AM
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
journal of the european academy of dermatology and venereology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.655
H-Index - 107
eISSN - 1468-3083
pISSN - 0926-9959
DOI - 10.1111/j.1468-3083.2009.03423.x
Subject(s) - medicine , placebo , hormone , psychopathology , rating scale , vitamin d and neurology , depression (economics) , psychiatry , psychology , developmental psychology , alternative medicine , pathology , economics , macroeconomics
Background and objectives Patients report well‐being as they are treated with phototherapy . We investigated hormone parameters and psychological well‐being after phototherapy in a placebo‐controlled study. Methods A total of 77 patients with dermatological conditions and 22 healthy volunteers were divided into four groups. The patients received phototherapy either on the whole body or only on hands and/or feet. The volunteers were given either whole‐body phototherapy or placebo light. Serum or plasma samples were analysed for cortisol, calcium, magnesium, phosphate, TSH, T 4 , T 3 and 25‐hydroxyvitamin D, and urine samples for cortisol. Patients and volunteers answered a questionnaire before and 6 weeks after phototherapy/placebo light. Psychiatric ratings were performed according to the Comprehensive Psychopathological Self‐rating Scale for Affective Syndromes, a self‐report version of which has been transformed to correspond to the Montgomery‐Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS). Results In the patients who received whole‐body irradiation, we observed a significant improvement in both MADRS score and cognitive‐symptom score after the completion of phototherapy. We also observed a significantly higher level of 25‐hydroxyvitamin D after phototherapy, but no difference in the other hormone parameters. Conclusion Whole‐body phototherapy of patients with dermatological conditions results in improved well‐being and significantly higher levels of 25‐hydroxyvitamin D in serum.