The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of iontophoresis combined 
with local psoralen plus ultraviolet A (PUVA) therapy in chronic foot eczema. A 
randomized, observer-blinded, multi-centre study was conducted in 48 patients 
with chronic moderate-to-severe foot eczema randomized to one of 3 groups: In 
the iontophoresis group local bath-PUVA was preceded by iontophoresis. In the 
PUVA group only local PUVA was given. The corticosteroid group was treated with 
fluticasone. All treatments were given for 8 weeks, with an 8-week follow-up 
period. The primary efficacy parameter was eczema score described by Rosén et 
al. Secondary efficacy parameters were a global impression by the patient, and 
the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI). The eczema score and the DLQI 
decreased significantly over time. There were no significant differences in the 
decrease in eczema score (p=0.053) and DLQI values (p=0.563) between the 3 
treatments. The DLQI values in our chronic foot eczema patients were high. There 
was no obvious advantage of local bath-PUVA with or with-out iontophoresis over 
local steroid therapy.