Abstract
Background
Ultraviolet (UV) phototherapy is widely used and very successful in the treatment of skin conditions. As such a safe and efficient service is essential. At present, there are no standard Irish guidelines regarding the operation, calibration or inspection of UV equipment nor is there an Irish policy on staff/patient safety or training issues.
Aim
To survey all known phototherapy centres in Ireland.
Methods
A postal questionnaire was sent to all known phototherapy centres in Ireland addressed to the consultant dermatologist or the physiotherapist-in-charge. It was divided into six sections: Instrumentation, Quality Assurance, UV meters, equipment maintenance, patient/staff safety and training. Comments on current practice were invited. Non-respondents were contacted by telephone, in some cases the survey was mailed a second time.
Results
This study demonstrated a substantial quantity of suboptimal equipment in use and a lack of consensus regarding quality assurance inspection and UV meter calibration frequency.
Conclusions
Guidelines must be established for calibration of UV equipment and standardisation of phototherapy protocols in Ireland.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Parrish JA, Jaenicke KF. Action spectrum for phototherapy of psoriasis.J Invest Derm 1981; 76: 359–62.
Picot E, Meunier L, Picot-Debeze J.L, Meynadier J. Treatment of psoriasis with a 311nm UVB Lamp.Br J Dermatol 1992; 127: 509–12.
Van Weelden H, Baart dela Faille H, Young E, Van der Leun JC. A new-development in UVB phototherapy of psoriasis.Br J Dermatol 1988; 119: 11–9.
Bisland D, George SA, Gibbs NK, Aitchison T, Johnson BE, Ferguson J. A comparison of narrow band phototherapy (TL01) and photochemotherapy (PUVA) in the management of polymorphic light eruption.Br J Dermatol 1993; 129: 708–12.
Green C, Diffey BL, Hawk JLM. Ultraviolet radiation in the treatment of skin disease.Phys Med Biol 1992; 37: 1–20.
Gupta GM. The efficacy of narrowband ultraviolet B phototherapy in psoriasis using objective and subjective outcome measures.Br J Dermatol 1999; 140: 887–90.
MacKie RM. Effects of ultraviolet radiation on human health.Radiat Prot Dosim 2000; 91(1–3): 15–8.
Swerdlow AJ. Epidemiology of chronic disease risks in relation to ultraviolet radiation exposure.Radiat Prot Dosim 2000; 91(1–3): 19–23.
Lindelof B, Sigurgeirsson B, Tegner E. PUVA and Cancer: A large-scale epidemiological study.Br J Dermatol 1991; 338: 91–3.
Diffey BL. The risk of skin cancer from occupational exposure to ultraviolet radiation in hospitals.Phys Med Bio 1988; 33(10): 1187–93.
Murphy GM, McCann P, O’Leary A, Rogers S. Guidelines for the use of phototherapy and photochemotherapy in Ireland.Ir J Med Sci 1997; 166: 92–7.
Hince AJ, Colley PA, Twitchen L, Lowe A. Commissioning a narrowband (TL01) ultraviolet B phototherapy cabinet (without getting your fingers or anything else burnt!).Radiat Prot Dosim 2000; 91(1–3): 189–92.
Dootson G, Norris PG, Gibson CJ, Diffey BL. The practise of ultraviolet phototherapy in the United Kingdom.Br J Dermatol 1994; 131(6): 873–7.
Diffey BL, Hart G. Ultraviolet and blue-light phototherapy-principles, sources, dosimetry and safety. York: Institute of Physical Sciences in Medicine. 1997.
Anderson TF. Ultraviolet Irradiation Devices and UV Measurement. In: Photochemotherapy in Dermatology. Ed Abel EA. Igaku-Shoin Medical Publishers, New York, 1992: 53–71.
Diffey BL. Ultraviolet radiation physics and the skin.Phys Med Biol 1980; 25: 405–26.
The International Non-Ionizing Radiation Committee of the International Radiation Protection Association. Guidelines on limits of exposure to ultraviolet radiation of wavelengths between 180nm and 400nm.Health Phys 1985; 49 (2): 330–40.
The International Non-Ionizing Radiation Committee of the International Radiation Protection Association. Proposed change to the IRPA 1985 Guidelines on limits of exposure to ultraviolet radiation.Health Phys 1989; 56: 971–2.
Diffey BL, Farr PM. An appraisal of ultraviolet lamps used for the phototherapy of psoriasis.Br J Dermatol 1987; 117: 49–56.
Webb AR. Standardisation of data from ultraviolet radiation detectors.Radiat Prot Dosim 2000; 91 (1–3): 123–8.
Thompson A, Early EA, O’Brian TR. Ultraviolet spectral irradiance scale comparison: 210nm to 300nm.J Res Natl Inst Stand Technol 1998; 103: 1–11.
Lambe R. National measurement scales for ultraviolet radiation: Their agreement and future development at NPL.Radiat Prot Dosim 2000; 91 (1–3): 189–92.
Martin CJ, Pye SD. A study of the directional response of ultraviolet Radiometers: II. Implications for ultraviolet phototherapy derived from computer simulations.Phys Med Biol 2000; 45: 2713–29.
Coleman AJ. A new UKAS accredited calibration system for ultraviolet radiometers.Radiat Prot Dosim 2000; 91 (1–3): 153–6.
American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH). Threshold limit values for chemical substances and physical agents; Biological Exposure Indices. Cincinnati, 1997.
Cesarini JP. The French regulations for ultraviolet radiation sunbeds.Radiat Prot Dosim 2000; 91 (1–3): 205–7.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Donohoe, A., O’Hare, N. & Barnes, L. Analysis of ultraviolet phototherapy and photochemotherapy resources in Ireland. Ir J Med Sci 171, 94–98 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03168961
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03168961