The Light Treatment Effectiveness (LITE) study, recently presented at the 2024 American Academy of Dermatology Annual Meeting, marks a significant advancement in psoriasis treatment, revealing that home phototherapy is equally effective as office-based treatments. This collaborative research between the National Psoriasis Foundation, University of Pennsylvania, and University of Utah enrolled 783 patients, revealing that home phototherapy resulted in higher rates of clear or almost clear skin compared to office treatment. The study’s success in demonstrating home phototherapy’s efficacy and safety challenges traditional preferences for office-based treatment, making it a more accessible first-line option for patients with psoriasis.
The research underscores home phototherapy’s role in overcoming accessibility barriers like geographic limitations, inconvenience, and high costs associated with office-based treatments. The study, which involved insurance payers and was funded by Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute, calls for changes in health insurance policies to improve coverage for home phototherapy, aiming to enhance treatment accessibility and effectiveness for diverse populations in the United States.
Reference: Buchanan L. Making Psoriasis Treatment More Accessible: LITE Study Shows Home Phototherapy Success. Dermatology Times. Published March 9, 2024. Accessed April 8, 2024. https://www.dermatologytimes.com/view/making-psoriasis-treatment-more-accessible-lite-study-shows-home-phototherapy-success
