Background:Blue light has no known toxic effects on human skin, but reduces the proliferative capacity of keratinocytes in vitro. We therefore investigated the efficacy of blue light in the treatment of psoriasis vulgaris (PV). Methods: Forty patients with mild to moderate PV and bilateral plaques were assigned to two groups. Group 1 (n = 20) received irradiation at home with blue light (light-emitting diode, LED, emission maximum: 420 nm) once daily for 4 weeks. In parallel, group 2 (n = 20) performed irradiations with another blue light device (LED emission maximum: 453 nm). The contralateral control plaques remained untreated in both groups. Results: Thirty-seven patients completed the trial. The main study parameter, the difference of Local Psoriasis Severity Index (LPSI) scores of the irradiated plaques compared to the control plaques, showed statistically significant improvement after 4 weeks of treatment in both groups [group 1 (420 nm): n = 17, p = 0.04; group 2 (453 nm): n = 20, p = 0.04]. Accordingly, plaque status as assessed by both the physicians and the patients improved continuously during the 4 weeks of treatment and steadily declined thereafter. Conclusion: Blue light appears to be a promising treatment modality in PV that warrants further evaluation in larger studies.

We report on a patient with an iodine allergy. He developed a delayed cutaneous reaction after receiving an iodinated radiographic contrast media and at the same time topical disinfection with povidone-iodine. In the patch- and intradermal tests he showed positive results with various radiographic contrast media, povidone- iodine and iodine, but not with povidone.

Cutaneous cytotoxic T-cell lymphoma is a rare variant of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma, which shows immunoreactivity for CD56+. We report on an 83-year old woman with numerous skin infiltrates and nodules mainly on her face and trunk. Histopathologic criteria lead to the diagnosis of cutaneous cytotoxic T-cell lymphoma. Bexarotene was not tolerated because of cardiac insufficiency, but treatment with methotrexate (7.5 mg once weekly) led to prompt regression of all lesions.