MedWire News: Narrowband ultraviolet B phototherapy is a valid resource in the treatment of children with psoriasis, say Spanish researchers.
“It can be used before opting for systemic treatments (which have more severe adverse effects) in patients who do not respond to topical drugs,” they report in the Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology.
P Zamberk and colleagues, from Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón in Madrid, note that, while UVB is an efficacious treatment for adults with psoriasis, its use in children has been limited due to its long-term carcinogenic potential.
Over a period of 2 years and 4 months, the researchers evaluated the therapeutic response of 20 children with psoriasis aged a median of 13 years to narrowband UVB. Among the patients, 20% had guttate psoriasis and 80% had plaque psoriasis and in all cases the condition was refractory to topical therapy.
The median Psoriasis Area and Severity Index score before treatment was 8.25. After a median of 28 sessions of UVB, at a median cumulative dose of 40,841 mJ/cm2, the final PASI score was 1.00.
Indeed, all but two patients achieved almost complete or total remission, and for 70% of patients the disease was controlled for a median of 8 months. Six patients were put on new therapy because of relapse.
There were no adverse events recorded, with the exception of erythema in 35% of patients, but this did not lead to discontinuation of treatment.
“Most of the patients underwent treatment without problems and were satisfied with the results,” the researchers write.
They say that, although their study’s findings are similar to those from other pediatric studies, the short follow-up means further research is needed to determine the long-term safety of UVB phototherapy in children.
The team concludes: “We observed narrowband UVB phototherapy to be a safe and effective short-term therapeutic option for pediatric patients affected by severe psoriasis.”
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