A study of comparison of PUVASOL and NBUVB in patients with vitiligo

Abstract

Introduction: Vitiligo is an acquired, hypomelanotic disease, characterized by circumscribed depigmented macules. Phototherapy, which is the use of ultraviolet irradiation with or without exogenous photosensitizer is a well established treatment option. Psoralens with sunlight as the source of ultraviolet A-rays is known as PUVASOL. Narrow band Ultraviolet B phototherapy (NBUVB; 311–313 nm) has been introduced over the past decade. Aims: To study the clinical effectiveness and assess the safety of NBUVB and PUVASOL therapy in Vitiligo patients. Methods: The patients were randomly allocated in to two groups containing 25 patients each. Group A patients received NBUVB with an initial dose of 250 mJ/cm2, incremented by 20% with each subsequent visit till optimum dose was achieved, twice a week on non-consecutive days. Group B patients received PUVASOL-oral Trimethylpsoralen or topical 0.2% w/w Trioxsalen followed by exposure to sunlight, twice a week on non-consecutive days. The extent of repigmentation was documented at regular intervals upto 6 months. Results: Amongst patients receiving NBUVB and PUVASOL, 56% and 48% had ≥50% repigmentation respectively. Disease was unstable in 48% and 36% of patients prior to commencement of therapy which reduced to 12% and 16% after therapy, respectively. 16% and 36% of the patients experienced side effects and 76% and 48% showed excellent colour match of the repigmented patches respectively. Conclusion: While both PUVASOL and NBUVB are both good therapeutic options; NBUVB therapy is found to be more effective and more cosmetically acceptable, with better colour matching of lesions and minimal adverse effects.

Keywords

• NBUVB
• phototherapy
• psoralen
• PUVASOL
• vitiligo