title: Narrowband ultraviolet B versus psoralen plus ultraviolet A therapy for severe plaque psoriasis: an Indian perspective.
abstract: There is a dearth of studies comparing the efficacy of psoralen ultraviolet A (PUVA) and narrowband (NB)-UVB in psoriasis in South Asian patients. Patients having plaque psoriasis with > 20% body surface area involvement were randomly assigned to one of two groups (group A: NB-UVB, group B: PUVA). The response to treatment was assessed by the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) at baseline and every 2 weeks thereafter. The maximum possible treatment duration was 16 weeks. In total, 43 patients (21 NB-UVB, 22 PUVA) completed the study. Marked improvement was seen in 80.9% of the patients in group A and 81.8% in group B (NS: P > 0.05). The mean ± SD time taken to achieve marked improvement was 9.9 ± 3.3 and 9.9 ± 3.5 weeks, respectively. In total, 29 patients were available for the analysis of the remission data at 6 months after treatment completion; 26.7% of the patients in group A and 42.8% in group B were in remission (NS: P > 0.05). Both methods seem to be equally effective in achieving clearance and maintaining remission of severe chronic plaque psoriasis in patients with Fitzpatrick skin type 4 and 5.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Leprology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India.
authors.forename: P S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Chauhan
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kaur
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dogra
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: De
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Kanwar
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011701:PUVA Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014467:Ultraviolet Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D055815:Young Adult