Marwan Dawood1,2,3, Christina Sizopoulou1,2,3, Shoshe Greenberger1,2,3, Aviv Barzilai1,2,3, Felix Pavlotsky1,2,3. 1. Dr. Dawood is with the Rambam Health Care Campus in Haifa, Israel. 2. Drs. Sizopoulou, Greenberger, Barzilai, and Pavlotsky are with the Department of Dermatology at Sheba Medical Center in Tel Hashomer, Israel. 3. Drs. Greenberger, Barzilai, and Pavlotsky are also with the Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University in Tel Aviv, Israel.
Abstract
Background: Narrowband UVB (NB UVB) has been suggested as an option for lichen planus control. However, the literature is lacking in reports of long-term results. OBJECTIVE: We sought to evaluate the long-term results of NB UVB therapy in lichen planus. Methods: This was a prospective, retrospective analysis of patients with lichen planus treated with NB UVB at our institution since 2004. The clinical response and relapse rate were recorded according to age, sex, mouth involvement, skin phototype, number of treatments, and total radiation dose. Results: One hundred thirty-seven of 192 (71%) eligible patients had a major response (MR) and 102 (74%) patients had no recurrence after an average follow-up period of 58.7 months. MR was achieved in 66 percent and 75 percent of men and women, respectively (p=0.021) and 76 percent and 68 percent of patients with Fitzpatrick Skin Types I and II and Skin Types IV and V, respectively (p=0.017). Age at the onset of the disease, number of treatments, and total UVB dose had no effect on the MR rate. The disease-free periods were 131 and 101 months for male and female patients, respectively (p=0.06), and 128 and 103 months for patients 40 years or younger and older than 40 years of age, respectively (p=0.07). Conclusion: Based on our results, female patients and patients with lighter skin phototypes appeared to have higher MR rates. However, female and older patients appear to be at increased risk of recurrence.
Background: Narrowband UVB (NB UVB) has been suggested as an option for lichen planus control. However, the literature is lacking in reports of long-term results. OBJECTIVE: We sought to evaluate the long-term results of NB UVB therapy in lichen planus. Methods: This was a prospective, retrospective analysis of patients with lichen planus treated with NB UVB at our institution since 2004. The clinical response and relapse rate were recorded according to age, sex, mouth involvement, skin phototype, number of treatments, and total radiation dose. Results: One hundred thirty-seven of 192 (71%) eligible patients had a major response (MR) and 102 (74%) patients had no recurrence after an average follow-up period of 58.7 months. MR was achieved in 66 percent and 75 percent of men and women, respectively (p=0.021) and 76 percent and 68 percent of patients with Fitzpatrick Skin Types I and II and Skin Types IV and V, respectively (p=0.017). Age at the onset of the disease, number of treatments, and total UVB dose had no effect on the MR rate. The disease-free periods were 131 and 101 months for male and female patients, respectively (p=0.06), and 128 and 103 months for patients 40 years or younger and older than 40 years of age, respectively (p=0.07). Conclusion: Based on our results, female patients and patients with lighter skin phototypes appeared to have higher MR rates. However, female and older patients appear to be at increased risk of recurrence.
Authors: Alexandra Wackernagel; Franz J Legat; Angelika Hofer; Franz Quehenberger; Helmut Kerl; Peter Wolf Journal: Photodermatol Photoimmunol Photomed Date: 2007-02 Impact factor: 3.135