title: Is narrowband ultraviolet B monotherapy effective in the treatment of pityriasis lichenoides?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Pityriasis lichenoides (PL) is a self-limiting papulosquamous disease that may persist for years and is associated with a high relapse rate. To date, few comparative studies have investigated the efficacy of narrowband ultraviolet B (NB-UVB) phototherapy and other therapies in the treatment of PL.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The present study retrospectively compared the clinical efficacies of NB-UVB phototherapy, systemic therapy, and a combination of NB-UVB and systemic medication in the treatment of PL.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventy patients diagnosed with PL were enrolled in this study. They were divided into three subgroups: the NB-UVB treatment group; the systemic treatment group; and the combination treatment group. Therapeutic efficacy was evaluated according to whether the subjects demonstrated a complete response (> 90% improvement in skin lesions), partial response (50-90% improvement), or no response (< 50% improvement) to treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A 91.9% complete response rate was achieved in the NB-UVB group, whereas only 69.2 and 80.0% of patients achieved a complete response in the systemic and combination treatment groups, respectively; these differences were not statistically significant. The mean treatment periods were 8.3, 5.3, and 7.9 weeks in the NB-UVB, systemic, and combination treatment groups, respectively; these differences were also not significant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Monotherapy using NB-UVB is effective in achieving a complete response in the treatment of PL and thus eliminates the need for concurrent systemic medication.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Busan, South Korea.
authors.forename: Jung-Min
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Seung-Wook
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Jwa
authors.forename: Margaret
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Hoon-Soo
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Hyun-Woo
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Chin
authors.forename: Hyun-Chang
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Ko
authors.forename: Moon-Bum
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Byung-Soo
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006633:Histamine Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017514:Pityriasis Lichenoides / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014467:Ultraviolet Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D006633:Histamine Antagonists