DEVICE FOR PHOTO-THERAPY OF GROVER'S DISEASE AND USE THEREOF

Abstract

The present invention provides a photo-therapy device and its use for treatment of skin conditions such as rashes or similar dermatological conditions that are exhibited by Grover's disease or other diseases which are associated or co-existent with Grover's disease. The treatment includes exposure of the subject's affected skin and preferably the entire body with blue LED light to improve skin status by stimulating body's immune system to reduce itching, blotchiness and skin discomfort.

Claims

1. A photo-therapy device for applying blue LED light upon a subject in need of absorbing radiation of such light, comprising a plurality of lamps each having a wattage of at least 5 W and that generate blue LED light having a wavelength in the range of between 410 and 490 nm, the lamps being configured and arranged on one or more supporting surfaces to provide a uniform application of the radiation to a patient's body such that for a total exposure time of at least 10 minutes, the patient will absorb at least 500 watts-minute of blue light radiation.

2. A photo-therapy device according to claim 1, wherein the lamps have a wattage of between 5 W and 200 W, or between 25 to 175 watts, or between 30 to 100 watts, and a wavelength in the range between 425 and 475 nm or at about 450 nm.

3. A photo-therapy device according to claim 1, wherein the one or more supporting surface(s) is/are a wall/walls.

4. A photo-therapy device according to claim 3, wherein the wall and lamps are spaced at a distance from the patient that is selected to correspond to a desired absorption or radiation based on a selected treatment time.

5. A photo-therapy device according to claim 3, wherein the lamps are arranged on the wall/walls to allow the subject to stand adjacent the wall/walls with one side of his or her body facing the lamps for treatment.

6. A photo-therapy device according to claim 1, wherein the lamps are arranged on internal surfaces of an enclosure that surrounds the patient to be treated.

7. A photo-therapy device according to claim 1, wherein the one or more support surface(s) comprise(s) one or more structure(s) associated with and placed above an upper surface of a bed or table.

8. A photo-therapy device according to claim 6, wherein the one or more structure(s) is/are pivotably associated with a wall or upright member that allows the structure(s) to be pivoted.

9. A photo-therapy device according to claim 1, wherein the lamps are baton lamps, and the photo-therapy device comprises between 2 and 12, or between 2 and 8, or between 2 and 4 baton lamps oriented longitudinally along the height of the subject with at least two baton lamps aligned with the subject's upper torso and optionally with at least two baton lamps aligned with the subject's legs.

10. A photo-therapy device according to claim 4, wherein each lamp has a wattage between 25 and 175 watts and wherein the lamps are arranged about 5.08 cm to 50.8 cm, or 7.62 cm to 50.8 cm, or 10.16 cm to 25.4 cm (about 2 to 20, about 3 to 12 or about 4 to 10 inches) from the patient.

11. A photo-therapy device according to claim 1, which comprises a plurality of baton lamps having a wattage of between 25 W and 100 W, the lamps being configured and arranged on one or more supporting surfaces to provide a uniform application of the radiation onto exposed skin surfaces of the patient; wherein the baton lamps have a wavelength in the range of between 425 and 475 nm, and between 2 and 8 baton lamps are oriented longitudinally along the height of the subject with at least two baton lamps aligned with the subject's upper torso and with at least two baton lamps aligned with the subject's legs with the lamps arranged about 10.16 cm to 25.4 cm (3 to 12 inches) from the subject's skin.

12. A method of treating a skin rash on exposed skin surfaces of at least a patient's upper torso which comprises applying blue light radiation from the photo-therapy device of claim 1 for a sufficient time for the patient to absorb at least 500 watts-minute of the blue light radiation.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the blue light radiation is applied to both front and back sides of the patient so that the subject absorbs at least 1000 watts-minute of such radiation, wherein the radiation is uniformly applied to the exposed skin surfaces by a plurality of blue LED light generating lamps each having a wattage of at least 25 W and at a total exposure time of at least 40 minutes, with the emitted blue light having a wavelength in the range of between 425 and 475 nm.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the rash is present on a patient suffering from Grover's disease or diseases which are associated or co-existent with Grover's disease.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the subject to be treated is a male who is 40 years old or older and the device includes lamps having a wattage of at least 30 watts and the radiation is applied at a total treatment time of at least 40 minutes so that the patient absorbs at least 1200 watts-minute of the radiation.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the lamps are arranged about 5.08 cm to 50.8 cm, or 7.62 cm to 50.8 cm, or 10.16 cm to 25.4 cm (about 2 to 20, about 3 to 12 or about 4 to 10 inches) from the patient.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the lamps of the photo-therapy device are configured and arranged on one or more supporting surfaces to provide a uniform application of the radiation onto exposed skin surfaces of the patient.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the photo-therapy device comprises between 2 and 12, or between 2 and 8, or between 2 and 4 baton lamps oriented longitudinally along the height of the patient with at least two baton lamps aligned with the patient's upper torso and optionally with at least two baton lamps aligned with the patient's legs.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the one or more supporting surfaces are arranged on a vertical wall or walls to allow the subject to stand adjacent the wall or walls with one side of his or her body facing the lamps for a first period of treatment for that side and then to turn to orient his or her opposite side to face the lamps for a further period of treatment.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the supporting surface provide a horizontal orientation of the lamps longitudinally above the subject with at least two baton lamps aligned with the subject's upper torso and with at least two baton lamps aligned with the subject's legs.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein the lamps are arranged on internal surfaces of an enclosure that surrounds the patient to be treated.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0039] Further features of the inventive concept, its nature and various advantages will be more apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying figures:

[0040] FIG. 1 is a perspective schematic view of photo-therapy devices according to the invention, wherein FIG. 1A shows a two baton lamp upper torso exposure device while FIG. 1B shows a four baton lamp full body exposure device.

[0041] FIG. 2 shows the horizontal operation mode of a photo-therapy device for a patient laying on a bed, wherein a hinge is attached to the long edge of the photo-therapy device.

[0042] FIG. 3 shows a photo-therapy device in an upright position, wherein a hinge is attached to the long edge of the photo-therapy device.

[0043] FIG. 4 shows the horizontal operation mode of the photo-therapy device for a patient laying on a bed, wherein a hinge is attached to the short edge of the photo-therapy device.

[0044] FIG. 5 shows a photo-therapy device in an upright position, wherein a hinge is attached to the short edge of the photo-therapy device.

[0045] FIG. 6 shows different location points which are identified for radiation measurement. The identified location points (A, B, C, D, E and F) are labeled in relevance to the positions of the LED baton lamps.

[0046] FIG. 7 illustrates a cylindrical chamber for surrounding the patient and directing blue LED light at all skin surfaces.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0047] Throughout this description, the preferred embodiments and examples provided herein should be considered as exemplar, rather than as limitations of the present invention.

[0048] In one embodiment, the photo-therapy device of the present invention comprises four LED baton lamps which are mounted to a wall as shown in FIG. 1B. Preferably, the distance between two vertical lamps in parallel is 15.24 cm (6 inches), and the distance between the upper and lower lamps is 15.24 cm (6 inches) as shown in FIG. 2B. The arrangement in FIG. 1B provides exposure of the entire body one side at a time. When the skin rash occurring from Grover's disease is mostly in the upper trunk of the body, the photo-therapy device of FIG. 1A can be used, as it is smaller and simply comprises two LED baton lamps mounted to a wall or a movable surface to provide a more compact photo-therapy device. The embodiment of the photo-therapy device shown in FIG. 1A provides LED blue light exposure of only the upper trunk or torso of the subject, while in FIG. 1B the exposure is of the patient's full body. The full body exposure is preferred because it provides maximum absorption at a minimum time, but for cases of lesser severity, the upper torso exposure is sufficient. The full body exposure is also preferred because it provides the greatest increase in T cells in the body which would fight the infection.

[0049] In an embodiment, a patient stands in front of the light source to expose the front side of the body and then turns around to expose the back side of the body to the light source. The skin of the patient with Grover's disease is exposed to the LED light radiation, but eyes of the patient are protected from the LED lights, such as wearing dark sunglasses with heavy tint or non-transparent material, or by a conventional blindfold that shields the subject's eyes from the light. Additionally, the lamps may be typically mounted on a structure or structures that do not extend above the neck of the patient to minimize the light being directed at the patient's face and eyes.

[0050] In another embodiment, the LED baton lamps are affixed to a movable surface, wherein a hinge is attached to the movable surface as shown in FIGS. 2-5. The hinge or pivot point can be attached to the short or long edge of the movable surface depending on the mode of operation or the layout of the doctor's office. The hinge may comprise multiple components to support different positions of the movable surface and may be mounted to a wall or a floor. In one embodiment, a patient lays on a bed, and a photo-therapy device is positioned above the patient's body to provide light exposure as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4. When the photo-therapy device is not in use, it can be positioned in upright position against the wall to minimize the occupied space of the photo-therapy device as shown in FIGS. 3 and 5.

[0051] And instead of being mounted on a support, the photo-therapy device can be attached to a wall with a connection that allows the support surface to be pivoted to be adjacent a table or a bed for exposure to the person when the person is lying down.

[0052] In yet another embodiment, the lamps can be mounted in a circular or oval chamber which surrounds a standing patient. Part of the chamber acts as a door to allow the subject to step inside before energizing the lamps. Although some subjects may not be comfortable standing in a relatively snug chamber, this embodiment provides maximum radiation exposure and minimum treatment times.

[0053] In additional embodiments, the light sources can be made into or incorporated in a blanket or other structure which is configured to surround the patient so that all sides of the patient's body are treated simultaneously. The lamps can be spaced on the blanket or interior surface of the structure to facilitate directing the blue LED light at all body surfaces. The structure can be a polygonal, oval or cylindrical chamber or enclosure that is either closed or open at the top. Preferably, the enclosure does not extend above the head of the person to be treated to minimize concerns of eye damage from light exposure. Alternatively, the lamps can be positioned only adjacent the patient's upper torso and legs as shown in other embodiments herein. The wattage and treatment time would be the same as in the other embodiments disclosed herein.

[0054] As shown in FIG. 7, a cylindrical enclosure may be provided. This enclosure can include a door or movable panel that would allow the patient to enter into the enclosure. The LED lamps would be mounted uniformly in spaced locations on the internal surface of the enclosure so that the patient's entire body is illuminated with the blue LED light. In a preferred embodiment, the enclosure is not taller than the height of the person who is being treated. Typically, a height of about 5 feet is acceptable, with a small raised platform being placed inside of the enclosure for shorter people so that their head extends above the top surface of the enclosure. Alternatively, the enclosure can be configured to be raised or lowered to conform to the height of the individual patient to be treated.

[0055] The cylindrical enclosure or chamber 100 of FIG. 7 includes a wall member 110 that provides the enclosure, access to which is provided by door 120 which is openable by handle 125. As noted herein, a square rectangular or other polygonal shaped enclosure can also be used. The lamps can be mounted on the interior surface of the chamber so that when illuminated all body surfaces of the patient standing therein would be exposed to the blue LED light radiation.

[0056] In some embodiments, the door can instead be a sliding door or a curtain. For these, the door or curtain would not include lamps so the patient would have to change position during the treatment to obtain uniform coverage of the LED light on his or her body.

[0057] When a blanket enclosure is used, it can be suspended from hoops or mounted on a structure that provides the blanket in a vertical orientation in a configuration that surrounds the patient.

[0058] For all embodiments, the exposed skin can be at the distance of about 5.08 cm to 30.48 cm (2 to 12 inches), preferably at the distance of about 10.16 cm (4 inches), or preferably at the distance of 30.48 cm (10 inches) from the LED light source. When the distance from the LED light source is at least 25.4 cm (10 inches), the radiation measurements for different locations (i.e. locations A, B, C, D, E and F as shown in FIG. 6) reach similar levels with equal exposure.

[0059] The skin in back and front sides of the body is exposed to the LED light source in equal length of time for each treatment. In one embodiment, the total exposure time for both the front and the back sides of the body is about 15 to 100 minutes, preferably around 25 to 50 minutes (in single or multiple treatment sessions, as the absorbance is cumulative. In the most preferred embodiment, the radiation is provided in the range of about 1200 to 2000 watt minutes at 30 to 50 watts for treatment times of 25 to 50 minutes.

[0060] The exposure of the LED light through the photo-therapy device and the method of use thereof of the present invention provides effective treatment of the Grover's disease by delivering sufficient energy in blue light for absorption by the exposed skin surfaces of the subject to improve the condition of the rash. These improvements are obtained without the use of pharmaceutical agents applied by ointments, creams or lotions after the light exposure.

EXAMPLES

[0061] The following examples illustrate the benefits and advantages of the present invention.

Example 1. Radiation Measurements

[0062] The levels of exposure of radiation of the LED light for different locations at different distances from the LED light source were measured. Blue light radiation was provided with four LED baton lamps. Each lamp had wattage of 35-40 watts and emitted light in wavelength range of from 410 to 490 nm with the center of the spectrum at 450 nm. The baton lights were approximately 2 feet long and attached to a wall arranged as shown in FIG. 6. These lights include a power cord which is liked to a power source that is plugged into a conventional 120 V wall outlet. The power source provides the necessary wattage for the lamps. FIG. 6 also shows different location points which were identified for radiation measurement. Table 1 shows the typical reading at three different distances from the LED light source for six different locations (A, B, C, D, E and F).

[0063] When the distance from the LED light source was at least 25.4 cm (10 inches), the radiation measurements for the six different locations (i.e., locations A, B, C, D, E and F) reached similar levels with equal exposure.

Example 2. Blue Light Exposure for Treating Grover's Disease

[0064] Blue light radiation was provided with four LED baton lamps. Each lamp had wattage of 35-40 watts and emitted light in wavelength range of from 410 to 490 nm with the center of the spectrum at 450 nm. Each of the LED baton lamp was approximately 2 feet long and attached to a wall in the arrangement shown in FIGS. 1B and 6. The skin of the patient with Grover's disease was exposed to the LED light radiation. Eyes of the patient were protected from the LED lights, such as wearing sunglasses with heavy tint or non-transparent material. The patient stood in front of the LED lights and exposed the skin of the body for both sides, i.e., front and back sides of the body. The exposed skin is at the distance of 25.4 cm (10 inches) from the LED light source. Different exposure times of from 10 to 40 minutes were tested. The skin in back and front sides of the body was exposed to the LED light source in an equal length of time.

[0065] The status of the skin was improved after the LED light exposure. The presence of rash was dramatically reduced from one that presented multiple raised red lesions before the treatment to one having only one or two small pink lesions after the LED light exposure. The exposure of the LED light was very effective in the treatment of the skin of the patient with Grover's disease, when sufficient energy reached the skin, preferably at the distance of 25.4 cm (10 inches) for about 22 minutes for each side of the body, i.e. the front and back sides of the body.

[0066] In comparison, previous treatments of the subject using conventional pharmaceuticals provided no measurable improvement in skin status.

[0067] The term about as used herein means that the value is not necessarily precise and could vary by 10% or preferably by 5%.

[0068] It is to be understood that the present invention is not to be limited to the exact description and embodiments as illustrated and described herein. To those of ordinary skill in the art, one or more variations and modifications will be understood to be contemplated from the present disclosure. Accordingly, all expedient modifications readily attainable by one of ordinary skill in the art from the disclosure set forth herein, or by routine experimentation therefrom, are deemed to be within the true spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.