Ultraviolet A in vitiligo.
Both types of Ultraviolet (UV), UVB (290-320 nm) and UVA (320-400 nm), produce increased pigmentation or tanning. However, no evaluation of UVA alone in the treatment of vitiligo has been reported. Therefore, it was the purpose of this work to study the pigmentogenic effect of UVA (5 and 15 J/cm(2)) in vitiligo. The study included 20 randomly selected patients with vitiligo involving more than 30% of the body surface area with a bilateral/symmetrical distribution. They were equally divided into two groups each of 10 patients. All patients received three weekly sessions of UVA, 15 J/cm(2) in group I and 5 J/cm(2) in group II, a total of 48 sessions over 16 weeks. Overall pigmentation of 60% and above was recorded in 50% and 10% of patients in groups I and II, respectively. We conclude that broadband UVA alone, without psoralens, and in appropriate doses may be of important therapeutic value in vitiligo.
El-Mofty
Medhat
M
Phototherapy Unit Kasr El-Eini, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt. medhatelmofty@hotmail.com
Mostafa
Wedad
W
Youssef
Randa
R
El-Fangary
Mona
M
Elramly
Amany Z
AZ
Mahgoub
Doaa
D
Fawzy
Marwa
M
D000328:Adult; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012880:Skin Pigmentation / Q000528:radiation effects; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014467:Ultraviolet Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D014820:Vitiligo / Q000532:radiotherapy*