Beta carotene therapy for erythropoietic protoporphyria and other photosensitivity diseases

Abstract

High doses of oral .beta.-carotene (Solatene, 15-180 mg/day) were given to 133 patients suffering from erythropoietic protoporphyria (EPP), 27 patients with polymorphous light eruption, 6 patients with solar urticaria, 3 patients with hydroa aestivale, 1 patient with porphyria cutanea tarda and 2 patients with actinic reticuloid to relieve the photosensitivity associated with these diseases. Of the patients with erythropoietic protoporphyria 84% increased by a factor of 3 or more their ability to tolerate sunlight. Only 9 of the patients with polymorphous light eruption and 20% of the patients with all of the other forms of photosensitivity treated showed similar improvement. .beta.-carotene was an effective treatment for EPP, but other forms of photosensitivity need empirical therapeutic study with .beta.-carotene to determine the range of effectiveness, if any, of this compound in conditions other than EPP.