Response of psoriatic nails to oral photochemotherapy

Abstract

Patients (10) with generalized psoriasis, which included nail involvement, were treated with total-body oral photochemotherapy. A combination of methoxsalen and high-intensity UVA rad was employed and its therapeutic efficacy in nail psoriasis was ascertained. There were 26 instances of the following nail signs: pitting, onycholysis, oil drop change, subungual hyperkeratosis, nail-plate crumbling, proximal nail-fold psoriasis and onychorrhexis. Of the 26, 18 improved by 50% or more. Only pitting failed to respond to therapy in the 8 patients who had this change.