Could red and near-infrared emitting fabric technology improve the severity of psoriasis, polymorphous light eruption, and alopecia areata?

Figures & data

Figure 1. (A) Low-level light therapy sleeves used for patients with psoriasis. (B) Long-sleeved shirt used either for patients with psoriasis or polymorphous light eruption. (C) Cap used for patients with alopecia areata.

Figure 2. (A,B) Before (week 0) and after (week 12) photographs of psoriasis of the left elbow.

Table 1. Patient demographics, concomitant treatments, frequency worn, patient-reported level of improvement, and overall garment comfort.

Patient	Gender	Age	Race	Other therapies	Frequency worn	Improvement: Moderate Slight None Worse	Comfort: scale 1–5
Psoriasis
1	F	66	Black	Home light unit, methotrexate beginning 6 months prior to the study	4× weekly	Slight	4
2	M	37	White	Methotrexate, clobetasol; treatment constant for 1 year prior to study	5× weekly	Moderate	4
3	F	58	White	Methotrexate, desonide, calcipotriene; treatment stable prior 6 months	1st week then stopped	Slight	1
4	F	42	White	Secukinumab	5x weekly	Slight	3.5
5	F	34	White	Secukinumab	1st week then stopped	None	1
PMLE
1	M	49	White	Sun avoidance; treatment constant for 1 year prior to study	1× weekly	Slight	4
2	F	67	Black	Clobetasol, desonide; treatment constant for 1 year prior to study	Not worn	N/A	1
3	F	64	White	Sun avoidance; treatment constant for 1 year prior to study	1× weekly	Moderate	5
4	F	40	Asian Indian	Triamcinolone and desonide; treatment constant for 1 year prior to study	Not worn	N/A	N/A
5	F	57	White	Sun avoidance; treatment constant for 1 year prior to study	0.5× weekly	Slight	3
AA
1	M	23	Black	Triamcinolone injections 2 years prior to the study	N/A	N/A	N/A
2	M	33	Black	Triamcinolone injections, last 3 months prior to onset of the study	1× weekly	Moderate	5
3	F	22	White	Triamcinolone injections last 1 year prior to study onset	1× weekly	Slight	3
4	F	69	White	Triamcinolone injections last 1 year prior to study onset	Daily for 2 h	None	1

F: female; M: male; PMLE: polymorphous light eruption; AA: alopecia areata.

Figure 3. (A,B) Before (week 0) and after (week 12) photographs of alopecia areata of the vertex scalp.

Table 2. Disease outcomes at beginning and end of study.

Patient	Gender	Age	Race	Other therapies	Frequency worn	Disease outcomes at beginning	Disease outcomes at end	Patient-reported Improvement: Moderate Slight None Worse	Comfort: scale 1–5
Psoriasis
						Summed redness, thickness, and scale	Summed redness, thickness, and scale
1	F	66	Black	Calcipotriene	4x weekly	1	1	Slight	4
2	M	37	White	Methotrexate, clobetasol	5x weekly	7	4	Moderate	4
3	F	58	White	Methotrexate, desonide, calcipotriene	1st week then stopped	4	3	Slight	1
4	F	42	White	Secukinumab	5x weekly	6	3	Slight	3.5
PMLE
						Number of flares	Number of flares
1	M	49	White	Sun avoidance	1x weekly	–	0	Slight	4
3	F	64	White	Sun avoidance	1x weekly	–	0	Moderate	5
5	F	57	White	Sun avoidance	0.5x weekly	–	0	Slight	3
AA
						SALT	SALT
2	M	33	Black	None	1x weekly	4%	2%	Moderate	5
3	F	22	White	Triamcinolone injections	1x weekly	20%	19%	Slight	3
4	F	69	White	Triamcinolone injections	Daily	5%	2%	None	1

F: female; M: male; PMLE: polymorphous light eruption; AA: alopecia areata; SALT: Severity of Alopecia Tool. Psoriasis patient 5, PMLE patients 2 and 4, and AA patient 1 did not complete the study and were not included.

Table 3. Assessment of elbow plaque redness, thickness, and scale for psoriasis patients who completed the study.

	Before study					After study
Patient number	Skin area involved	Redness	Thickness	Scale	Total	Skin area involved	Redness	Thickness	Scale	Total
1	2	1	0	0	1	1	1	0	0	1
2	2	3	1	3	7	2	1	1	2	4
4	1	3	2	1	6	1	1	1	1	3