Conclusion
Phototherapy has a role in improving pruritus in patients with cholestatic liver disease. Despite being reported as a safe and effective treatment, it is often reserved for patients with itch refractory to other treatment options. The mechanism of action is not yet fully understood; however, here we have hypothesized several testable mechanisms through which phototherapy may exert its effects. The next steps will be to assess objectively the efficacy of phototherapy in cholestatic pruritus, gain further knowledge on the underlying pathways, and subsequently trial its use against current licensed therapies.
Funding sources
We acknowledge support from the Department of Health via the Newcastle NIHR Biomedical Research Centre. N.J.R. is also supported by the Newcastle MRC/EPSRC Molecular Pathology Node and the Newcastle NIHR Medtech and In Vitro Diagnostic Co-operative. D.E.J. and N.J.R. are NIHR senior investigators.
Acknowledgments
We acknowledge support from the Department of Health via the Newcastle NIHR Biomedical Research Centre.
The British Journal of Dermatology. 2019;181(6):1138-1145. © 2019 Blackwell Publishing
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