Seven diverse vitiligo patients treated for one year with narrowband UVB phototherapy. Five of the seven achieved 75% repigmentation with a mean of 19 treatments.

#2 Treatment of Generalized Vitiligo in Children with Narrow Band (TL-01) UVB Radiation Therapy. M. D. Njoo, MD, PhD and W. Westerhof, MD, PhD. Journal of American Academy of Dermatology. Vol 42, Number 2, Part 1. February 2000

Studied efficacy and safety of UVB (311 nm) phototherapy in children with generalized vitiligo. 51 Children were treated with narrowband UVB lights twice a week for one year. Psychosocial impact of disease and treatment were carefully evaluated before and after. 75% overall repigmentation in 53% of vitiligo patients and a stabilization of the vitiligo disease in 80%.

BACKGROUND: Narrowband ultraviolet B (NB-UVB) phototherapy has been used successfully for the treatment of inflammatory and pigmentary skin disorders including atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, mycosis fungoides, polymorphous light eruption, and vitiligo. METHODS: This is a retrospective review of the treatment outcomes of 117 consecutive patients with vitiligo, pruritus, and other inflammatory dermatoses, excluding those with psoriasis and CTCL, who were treated with NB-UVB between 1998 and 2001 at our institution. RESULTS: Approximately 80% of all patients showed improvement in their condition using narrow band UVB phototherapy. NB-UVB phototherapy lights were well tolerated, with no serious adverse effects. In patients with vitiligo, 6.4% had an abnormal thyroid-stimulating hormone level and 6.5% had anemia.

CONCLUSION: Narrow Band UVB phototherapy may be considered as a viable therapeutic option in the treatment of vitiligo, pruritus, and other inflammatory dermatoses. Long-term adverse effects and cost-benefit analysis of Narrowband UVB (NB-UVB) phototherapy treatment compared to other treatment modalities for vitiligo remain to be determined.