Immunoglobulin Therapy for Solar Urticaria

Intravenous immunoglobulin therapy can help when options are limited, but adverse effects are a concern.

Solar urticaria is a rare photodermatosis (estimated incidence, 3.1 per 100,000 people) with a potentially devastating impact. Patients tolerate outdoor activities with difficulty, and most available sunscreens are only modestly effective because ultraviolet A (UVA) and even visible-range wavelengths incite urticaria in most patients. Although antihistamines are successful for mild disease, management often requires photodesensitization with narrowband or broadband UVB or psoralen UVA (PUVA), immunosuppression, or plasmapheresis. Case reports have suggested benefit from intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) therapy.

These authors retrospectively evaluated IVIG for solar urticaria over a period of 11 years at several French centers. Seven patient…

Reviewing Author

Craig A. Elmets, MD

Disclosures

Consultant / Advisory board Astellas Pharmaceuticals

EquityVaxin

Grant / Research support NIH; NIH/NCI; Veteran’s Administration; Ferndale Laboratories; Kyowa Hakko Kirin Pharma, Inc.

Editorial boards Cancer Prevention Research; Photodermatology, Photoimmunology, & Photomedicine; UpToDate; eMedicine; Journal of Dermatological Sciences; JAMA Dermatology

Leadership positions in professional societies American Academy of Dermatology (Vice Chair, Committee on Science and Research); Photomedicine Society (Board of Directors)