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Evaluation of the effect of disease duration in generalized vitiligo on its clinical response to narrowband ultraviolet B phototherapy
Author(s) -
Hallaji Zahra,
Ghiasi Maryam,
Eisazadeh Ayat,
Rayati Damavandi Maede
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
photodermatology, photoimmunology and photomedicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.736
H-Index - 60
eISSN - 1600-0781
pISSN - 0905-4383
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0781.2012.00648.x
Subject(s) - vitiligo , narrowband , ultraviolet b , medicine , duration (music) , ultraviolet , ultraviolet a , dermatology , physics , optics , acoustics
Summary Background/Purpose Narrowband ultraviolet B ( NB‐UVB ) has been accepted as an effective therapy for generalized vitiligo. On the other hand, different factors seem to contribute to a good response. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the influence of disease duration on its clinical response to NB‐UVB phototherapy. Methods In this open and uncontrolled study, vitiligo was considered ‘recent’ when the duration of disease was less than or equal to 4 years and ‘long standing’ when it was greater than 4 years. The patients received NB‐UVB thrice weekly with an initial dose of 200 m J /cm 2 and 10% increments at each subsequent treatment. After categorizing the clinical response to four groups (mild, moderate, good, and excellent), duration of disease and clinical response to NB‐UVB were correlated statistically using the t ‐test. Results There were 63 patients: 34 women and 29 men, aged 6–60 years. The mean of disease duration was 10.13 ± 9.1 years. Vitiligo was ‘recent’ in 26 and ‘long standing’ in 37 patients. The mean of overall response was 51.94 ± 18.48%. Higher grades of response were more prevalent in patients with recent vitiligo than those with long‐standing disease, and there was also statistically significant difference in overall response between these two groups of disease duration ( P = 0.023). Conclusion The early treatment of generalized vitiligo may enhance the chance of successful repigmentation.