Serum alpha 2-macroglobulin levels in psoriatic patients treated with UVB and PUVA.

Abstract

Background: Abnormalities in proteinase metabolisms have been found in psoriasis and higher concentrations of neutral proteinases in psoriatic skin lesions than in unaffected skin of psoriatic patients have been observed.

Aim: The aim of the study was to determine whether repeated whole body UV-(UVB and PUVA) irradiation is associated with changes in proteinase inhibitor alpha 2-macroglobulin (alpha 2-M) in patients with active plaque psoriasis.

Patients and methods: In this study, the sera alpha 2-M levels were evaluated in cases of active plaque psoriasis before UV-, four weeks UVB (15 patients) and PUVA (11 patients) irradiation, and two weeks after completed treatment.

Results: Both UVB and PUVA treatment had no significant influence on alpha 2-M levels in psoriatic sera, it was, however, sufficient to treat most of the skin lesions.

Discussion: The beneficial effect of phototherapy in psoriasis seems not to be mediated through increased binding of proteinases by proteinases inhibitor alpha 2-M from serum.