DEFNE ÖZKOCA, TUĞBA KEVSER ÜSTÜNBAŞ UZUNÇAKMAK, ZEKAYİ KUTLUBAY
Journal of the Turkish Academy of Dermatology - 2022;16(3):62-64
Background: The coronavirus pandemic has lead to major changes in our daily practices. Due to the increased risk of transmission in the waiting areas, all of the non-emergency patients have been requested to stay home during the peak periods of the pandemic which lead to the cancellation of phototherapy sessions during the peak period. The aim of this study is to evaluate the demographics of, diagnoses of and the phototherapy modalities used in the patients who have received phototherapy during the first year of the coronavirus pandemic; and to evaluate if they have contracted coronavirus during their treatment. Materials and Methods: This is a retrospective study performed in the phototherapy unit of Istanbul University-Cerrahpasa, Cerrahpasa Faculty of Medicine, Clinic of Dermatology. Results: A total of 137 patients were included in this study. Most common diagnoses to receive phototherapy were psoriasis vulgaris, mycosis fungoides and morphea. The most treatment modality to be used during the pandemic was narrowband ultraviolet-B. Only nine of the patients were diagnosed with coronavirus during phototherapy sessions, all had a benign disease course. Conclusion: The risk of disease transmission due to phototherapy sessions is quite low. On the contrary, relapse risk is high if the treatment is stopped. We suggest that phototherapy modalities should be continued in necessary patients during this period given that the protective precautions can be applied in the phototherapy units.
