Papular dermatitis (subacute prurigo, “itchy red bump” disease): Pilot study of phototherapy

Background: Some patients with a subacute or chronic pruritic erythematous papular eruption are refractory to treatment. We previously described a number of these patients with papular dermatitis or subacute prurigo. Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of different types of phototherapy for treatment of papular dermatitis. Methods: We reviewed the medical records of 11 patients who were diagnosed with papular dermatitis and who underwent phototherapy within the last 5 years. Results: Eleven patients had a total of 17 phototherapy courses: psoralen–UVA (PUVA; 9), UVA/UVB light (3), and UVB alone (5). Within the PUVA treatment group, three of nine patients experienced total clearing, and six of nine patients experienced partial improvement. Although patients in all groups relapsed with time, overall the PUVA-treated patients had the best response rate and the best chance of the condition remaining clear after treatment was stopped. Conclusion: PUVA may be an effective treatment for papular dermatitis. The frequency of relapse indicates that maintenance treatments may be necessary for long-term control of the disease. (J Am Acad Dermatol 1998;38:929-33.)