Efficacy of NB-UVB in Progressive Versus Non-Progressive Non-Segmental Vitiligo: A Prospective Comparative Study

Narrow-band (NB) ultraviolet B (UVB) phototherapy has been shown to halt disease progression in vitiligo, but whether there is any difference in the response to NB-UVB seen in patients with progressive vitiligo versus non-progressive vitiligo has not been evaluated.

To evaluate the effect of NB-UVB on progressive versus non-progressive non-segmental vitiligo.

Prospective observational comparative study.

April 2016-November 2017.

Adult patients having non-segmental vitiligo involving 2-50% body surface area were divided into two subsets; patients developing >5 lesions in the last 1 month or >15 lesions in the last 3 months (progressive vitiligo, Group I) and patients with static disease for the last 6 months (non-progressive vitiligo, Group II). Both groups were treated with NB-UVB for 6 months (26 weeks) cumulatively and its efficacy in halting disease progression, re-pigmentation, side effects and psychosocial impact were evaluated.

Nineteen out of 24 patients with progressive vitiligo had arrest of disease progression. Rest five patients developed lesions at a slower pace. Group II had earlier onset of re-pigmentation, while Group I had more NB-UVB fluence (34.73 J/cm² vs 25.2 J/cm², P value = 0.034), more time for the fluence to be fixed (P value = 0.001) and more pruritus (P value = 0.001).

NB-UVB has the potential to halt disease progression in some patients with progressive vitiligo; but is associated with more total NB-UVB fluence and time taken for fixing it. Progressive vitiligo patients have more pruritus as compared to patients with non-progressive vitiligo.