Psoriasis is a skin disease that affects 2% of the population. One of the common ways of treating this condition is to expose patients to ultraviolet-B (UVB) radiation. Measuring the sensitivity of patients' skin to UV radiation before they embark on a course of UVB treatment for their skin disease can make the treatment more effective. This measurement, or phototest, involves exposing small areas of skin to increasing doses of UVB radiation and noting the smallest dose (called the minimal erythema dose or MED) that results in a slight redness of the test site 24 hours after exposure.
The Durham UVB Erythema Test Device was designed by physicists Phil Saunders and Professor Brian Diffey to make phototesting a simple, quick and reproducible exercise that can be carried out with the minimum of training. Just a single exposure lasting around 30 seconds results in a series of 10 doses of UVB covering an 8-fold dose range.
A licensing agreement to manufacture this device has been negotiated with Hybec Limited, a Miyakawa Corporation Company of Japan with effect from August 2002.
Researchers have recently proven the worth of the Durham Erythema Test Device. A British Journal of Dermatology paper† states that. "A recent comparison between the 'Durham' minimal erythema dose (MED) testing device and the older method found the Durham MED tester to be a convenient, safe and effective tool for determining patient MED values prior to narrow band UVB phototherapy." It goes on to state that. "These results show that the Durham MED tester gives very reproducible results. ... We conclude that the Durham MED test method is highly reproducible when used under carefully controlled lighting, using experienced observers."
† Otman SG, Edwards C, Wyness K, Anstey AV. British Photodermatology Group: Summaries of Papers PD-7. Reproducibility of a semi-automated method of minimal erythema dose testing. British Journal of Dermatology (2005) 153 (Suppl. 1): 92-98.
For further details contact:
Hybec Limited
Unit 9 Barrington Industrial Estate
Leycroft Road
Leicester LE4 1ET
Telephone: 0116-234-2929
Facsimile: 0116-235-8810
E-mail: hls@hybec.com
Web: www.hybec.com
Regional Medical Physics Department, Freeman Hospital, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE7 7DN, UK.
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