Abstract
Background: Photochemotherapy ia a well established effective line of psoriasis treatment. However, folic acid deficiency was reported among psoriatic patients undergoing photochemotherapy.
Aim: to determine the impact of PUVA on serum FA levels in psoriatic patients and if there is any role for priming by FA supplemental therapy (FAST) on this effect.
Subjects & Methods: 62 patients with psoriasis vulgaris were included. Patients were randomly divided into two study groups, patients of FAST group received FA supplementation prior to PUVA sessions and the control group which received PUVA sessions only (not received folic acid). Serum FA levels were estimated at baseline and at the end of treatment sessions using Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay technique.
Results: post-PUVA serum FA levels were significantly decreased in comparison to pre-PUVA levels in patients of both groups, but patients of FAST group had significantly higher post-PUVA serum FA levels in comparison to that of the control group with significantly lower percentage of decrease in serum FA levels. PUVA therapy significantly reduced post-PUVA PASI score in comparison to pre- PUVA scores of patients of both groups with non-significant differences between studied groups.
Conclusion: PUVA drastically affects serum FA. Priming of psoriasis patients for two weeks with FAST before start of PUVA could minimize this effect without affecting the outcomes of radiation therapy.