title: A randomized, prospective, sham-controlled study of localized narrow-band UVB phototherapy in the treatment of plaque psoriasis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  UV phototherapy remains a useful and frequently employed treatment for chronic plaque psoriasis. In those patients with plaque body surface area less than 10%, targeted treatment is the safest and most effective modality.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We aimed to evaluate the efficacy of the Levia® localized NB-UVB phototherapy machine in the treatment of patients with symmetrical psoriatic lesions.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed a prospective, double-blinded, sham-treatment controlled study of this device beginning March 2012 through April 2014.
  
  
  METHODS
  a comprehensive dermatology clinic in the northeastern United States.
  
  
  METHODS
  21 subjects with chronic plaque psoriasis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Each patient had one lesion randomized to receive the Levia treatment and one lesion (the control) treated with visible light. Treatment was administered three times a week for twelve weeks. Target lesion score (TLS), a rating of 0-4 each of erythema, scaling, and thickness, was measured biweekly by a blinded assessor, and visual analogue scale of pruritus was recorded by subjects.
  
  
  METHODS
  The primary outcome, formulated prior to study initiation, was the percentage of lesions achieving clear or almost clear TLS after 12 weeks of treatment. Secondary endpoints included changes in target lesion pruritus VAS, percentage improvement in TLS, and the percentage of subjects achieving 50% improvement in TLS (TLS-50).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The primary endpoint, TLS of three or less, was not achieved (P=0.118), but the secondary endpoints of percentage improvement in TLS (P=0.043) and TLS-50 (P=0.0195) were significantly superior in treated compared to sham-treated lesions. Percentage improvement in pruritus VAS was not significant (P=0.0565).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This device was found to be efficacious, though not necessarily to the point of clearance, in the treatment of psoriasis over a 12-week period.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  www.clinicaltrials.gov, identifier: NCT02107482, http://clinicaltrials.gov/show/NCT02107482
authors.forename: Adriane A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Levin
authors.forename: Saud
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Aleissa
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Dumont
authors.forename: Francisca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Martinez
authors.forename: Courtney
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Donovan
authors.forename: Shiu-chung
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Au
authors.forename: Afnan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hasanain
authors.forename: Alice B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Gottlieb
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014467:Ultraviolet Therapy; D064232:Visual Analog Scale