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 200 0

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.