Dissertation
Effects of Narrow-band Ultraviolet B and Solar Radiation on Vitamin D Synthesis and of Empowering Heliotherapy on Quality of Life in Dermatological Patients
Toni Karppinen, MD Department of Dermatology and Venereology, University of Tampere and Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland. E-mail: toni. karppinen @ icloud. com
Toni Karppinen, MD, defended his PhD thesis on January 27 th, 2017 in Department of Dermatology and Venereology, University of Tampere and Tampere University Hospital. Opponent was Docent Leena Koulu, MD, PhD, Department of Dermatology and Venereology, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital and supervisors were Professor Erna Snellman, MD, PhD, Department of Dermatology and Venereology, University of Tampere and Tampere University Hospital, and Professor Emeritus Timo Reunala, MD, PhD, Department of Dermatology and Venereology, University of Tampere and Tampere University Hospital. The thesis book is available at: http:// urn. fi / URN: ISBN: 978-952-03-0335-8.
Narrow-band ultraviolet B( NB-UVB) phototherapy is used to treat dermatoses such as psoriasis and atopic dermatitis( AD), diseases having a negative impact on the health-related quality of life( HRQoL). NB-UVB can also raise serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [ S-25( OH) D ] levels. Since solar ultraviolet radiation( UVR) is not capable of inducing cutaneous vitamin D synthesis in winter, we set out to determine whether NB-UVB exposure can enhance S-25( OH) D levels in subjects receiving cholecalciferol supplementation, and whether NB-UVB can be used to sustain post-summer S-25( OH) D levels during the winter. We also studied whether vernal solar UVR can raise S-25( OH) D levels during outdoor activities in a snow-covered landscape, and what would be the effects of empowering heliotherapy( EHT) on HRQoL and disease severity in psoriasis and AD patients.
The psoriasis patients and healthy subjects described in paper I were receiving daily oral cholecalciferol supplements of 20 ยต g prior to the study and during it. Psoriasis patients received 18 NB-UVB exposures and the healthy subjects received 9. After 9 exposures each, their mean S-25( OH) D levels had increased by 13 and 17 nmol l-1( p < 0.001), respectively, while after the 18 th exposure S-25( OH) D in the psoriasis patients had increased by 49 nmol l-1. One month later the S-25( OH) D level was still 30 nmol l-1 above the baseline in the psoriasis patients and 18 nmol l-1 above in the healthy subjects. Baseline CYP27A1 and
Toni Karppinen( middle), defended his PhD thesis on January 27 th, 2017. Opponent was Docent Leena Koulu( first towards right) and Professor Erna Snellman( first towards left) and Professor Emeritus Timo Reunala( second towards left) served as Supervisors.
Forum for Nord Derm Ven 2017, Vol. 22, No. 2 45