Severe Herpes Zoster Secondary to Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Successfully Treated with Ultraviolet A1 Phototherapy: A Case Report

Background: The incidence of herpes zoster (HZ) in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients is high, and the symptoms are usually severe and resistant to treatment, and the prognosis is poor. Ultraviolet (UV) A1 is a band of UV light, and UVA1 phototherapy has been widely used to treat various inflammatory skin diseases.Objective: At present, UVA1 has been considered as a potential adjuvant therapy for HZ in SLE patients. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case report concerning the successful application of UVA1 in the treatment of HZ secondary to SLE.Methods: In this article, a clinical case report is presented, wherein the patient did not respond to conventional treatment, but was markedly responsive to the treatment of UVA1 phototherapy, and well tolerated.Results: A 29-year-old woman with severe HZ secondary to SLE was successfully treated with UVA1 phototherapy.Conclusions: UVA1 phototherapy can be used as an effective adjuvant treatment for HZ secondary to SLE.