BACKGROUND: Graft versus host disease is one of the obstacles to successful bone marrow transplantation. It often affects the skin. Phototherapy has been used because of its strong local immunomodulatory activity and it is an option for adjuvant therapy for skin lesions of graft versus host disease resistant to conventional therapy. OBJECTIVE: To make a descriptive analysis of treating graft versus host disease with phototherapy (PUVA or narrowband UVB). Methods - Nine patients with cutaneous manifestation of acute or chronic graft versus host disease were studied. The first choice therapy was PUVA, applied in six patients, and three were treated with narrowband UVB. The sessions were held three times a week and therapeutic response was evaluated after 12 sessions. RESULTS: All patients with acute graft versus host disease showed improvement, with the disappearance of erythema and edema. In those with chronic graft versus host disease, there was good response to therapy with regression of lichenoid lesions and better mobility of patients with the sclerodermoid form. Two patients had severe progression and died. CONCLUSION: Phototherapy showed to be effective in treating skin manifestations of acute and chronic graft versus host disease. PUVA allows control of the disease. The narrowband UVB is an option for patients who cannot take systemic medications.
Graft versus host disease; Phototherapy; PUVA therapy; Ultraviolet rays
