Analysis of patients with suspected photosensitivity referred for investigation to an Australian photodermatology clinic

BACKGROUND: Australia's first dedicated photodermatology clinic was established at St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne in 1993. OBJECTIVE: We sought to review clinical diagnoses and results of investigations performed on patients seen at this institution. METHODS: A database was created to enable a retrospective and prospective analysis of all patients attending for evaluation of suspected photosensitivity from April 1993 to October 2000. RESULTS: A total of 513 patients were seen, 289 (56.3%) female and 224 (43.7%) male, with a mean age of 45.2 years (range: 2.6-85.9). A photosensitive disorder was diagnosed in 397 patients (77.4%), with the acquired idiopathic photodermatoses accounting for diagnoses in 215 (41.9%) of all patients seen. The most common diagnosis was polymorphous light eruption. Reduced minimal erythema doses were seen in 25.3% of all patients light tested. In those photopatch tested, 23.3% had at least 1 photocontact reaction. Allergic contact dermatitis in a photosensitive distribution was diagnosed in 7.4% of the clinic population. CONCLUSION: A large proportion of referrals to a photodermatology clinic comprise people with acquired idiopathic photodermatoses, with other common diagnoses that may mimic photosensitivity including allergic contact dermatitis, atopic dermatitis, and rosacea.