Suberythemogenic narrow-band UVB is markedly more effective than conventional UVB in treatment of psoriasis vulgaris.

Type:Uv phototherapy Time:2015-02-05 12:01:47

BACKGROUND:

Narrow-band UVB (NB-UVB) is a new phototherapy option for psoriasis. Action spectrum studies previously done with different UVB wavelengths suggest that suberythemogenic doses of NB-UVB could be highly effective in treating psoriasis vulgaris. Even so, no comparative studies with suberythemogenic doses of NB versus conventional UVB have been performed previously.

OBJECTIVE:

Our purpose was to compare conventional broad-band UVB (BB-UVB) with NB-UVB at suberythemogenic doses for the treatment of psoriasis vulgaris.

METHODS:

Eleven patients were treated using a split-body approach for 6 weeks on a three-times-a-week basis. Outcomes were evaluated by means of Psoriasis Severity Index scores and quantitative histologic measures.

RESULTS:

We were able to induce clinical clearing in 81.8% of patients after NB-UVB, but in only 9.1% of patients after BB-UVB (P < .01). Biopsy specimens obtained at the end of treatment revealed that keratin 16 staining was absent in 75% of patients on the NB side compared with none on the BB side, suggesting a reversal of regenerative epidermal hyperplasia by NB-UVB.

CONCLUSION:

NB-UVB is superior to UVB-BB in reversing psoriasis at suberythemogenic doses when given three times per week. This schedule was well tolerated by all patients.

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