THE NEW YORK ACADEMY OF MEDICINE SECTION ON DERMATOLOGY AND SYPHILOLOGY
MAY 5, 1970Wilbur B. Hurlbut, MD, Recorder
Photo-Urticaria. Presented by Arthur Hyman, MD, and Alan Prestia, MD.
A 40-year-old woman, during the past five years, has had repeated episodes of whealing on exposure to sunlight. The frequency of these attacks has been increasing in the last two to three years. Exposure to morning sunlight for two to five minutes will produce a mild urticarial reaction in the form of a wheal and flare which then persists for approximately 45 to 60 minutes. After such a reaction the patient is refractory to further attacks for a 24-hour period.Thorough clinical and laboratory studies have not revealed any underlying illness. Results of assay of protoporphyrin in the blood were within normal limits. In an attempt to classify the patient's urticarial reaction to light, she was photo-tested with a monochromatic light