Narrowband UVB (311 nm, TL01) phototherapy for pityriasis lichenoides.
OBJECTIVE
Narrowband (NB) UVB (NB-UVB) phototherapy has recently demonstrated high levels of efficacy and tolerability in a variety of skin diseases. The purpose of the present study was to assess the efficacy of NB-UVB phototherapy in the management of pityriasis lichenoides (PL).


METHODS
The therapeutic response in 31 PL patients (23 pityriasis lichenoides et varioliformis acuta; PLEVA, eight pityriasis lichenoides chronica; PLC) treated with NB-UVB phototherapy between 2000 and 2007 was assessed.


RESULTS
NB-UVB treatment led to a complete response (CR) in 15 out of 23 PLEVA patients (65.2%) with a mean cumulative dose of 23 J/cm(2) after a mean number of 43.4 exposures and a partial response (PR) in eight patients (34.8%) with a cumulative dose of 15.6 J/cm(2) after a mean number of 32.3 exposures. NB-UVB treatment led to CR in seven out of eight PLC patients (87.5%) with a mean cumulative dose of 18.4 J/cm(2) after a mean number of 45.8 exposures and PR in one patient (12.5%) with a cumulative dose of 9.1 J/cm(2) after a mean number of 19 exposures. Relapses occurred in four PL patients within a mean time period of 6 months.


CONCLUSIONS
NB-UVB therapy is an effective, safe and practical alternative treatment modality for the management of PLEVA and PLC.
Aydogan
Kenan
K
Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine, Uludag University, Bursa, Turkey. aydogank@uludag.edu.tr
Saricaoglu
Hayriye
H
Turan
Hakan
H
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017514:Pityriasis Lichenoides / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D012008:Recurrence; D012074:Remission Induction; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014467:Ultraviolet Therapy / Q000379:methods*