Impact on quality of life in vitiligo patients treated with narrowband ultraviolet B phototherapy

Abstract

Context:Vitiligo is a psychosocial problem which significantly affects quality of life in Indian scenario.Aims:The purpose of this study was to compare the changes in quality of life in patients of vitiligo before and after treatment with narrowband ultraviolet B (NBUVB) phototherapy.Subjects and Methods:A total of 54 patients had completed the study. The age ranged between 16 and 70 years with a mean age of 26.77±14.2 years. The initial dose of NBUVB was 300 mJ/cm2 in adults and 150 mJ/cm2 in children twice weekly with 20% dose increment on subsequent visits. It was given for a maximum period of 6 months and was followed up for another 6 months to determine stability of repigmentation.Results:The average number of exposure given to the patients was 45.63±12.74 while the mean irradiation cumulative dose was 39.8 J/cm2. Mean Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) of the vitiligo patients was 8.64±4.32 while those patients with acrofacial vitiligo had a mean DLQI of 11.78±5.61. After treatment with NBUVB, mean DLQI of all vitiligo patients was significantly reduced to 5.86±2.15 (P<0.01).Conclusions:This study showed that phototherapy had a positive therapeutic outcome in vitiligo, especially in younger patients. Even a small, depigmented lesion in a child could be psychosocially devastating.

Quality of life measurement in vitiligo. Position statement of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology Task Force on Quality of Life and Patient Oriented Outcomes with external experts

“…face and hands), on genitalia or with disseminated lesions. [33][34][35][36][37][38][39][40][41] However in contrast, in two studies vitiligo on visible locations did not interfere with HRQoL and there was no difference found between vitiligo patients with or without genital involvement. 42,43…”

“…Several studies reported worse HRQoL in patients with vitiligo located on visible sites (e.g. face and hands), on genitalia or with disseminated lesions 33–41 . However in contrast, in two studies vitiligo on visible locations did not interfere with HRQoL and there was no difference found between vitiligo patients with or without genital involvement 42,43 …”

“…There has been measurement of HRQoL in people with vitiligo using the following treatments: cosmetic camouflage, 41,66,67,87 narrowband UVB, 34,88,[109][110][111][112][113][114][115] PUVA, PUVA sol, 116 excimer laser, 117,118 topical corticosteroids, 110,112,117 calcipotriol, 112,115 tacrolimus, 68,69 cyclosporine, 119 levamisole, 90 group climatotherapy 120 and noncultured epidermal cellular grafting. 70 Improvement of HRQoL was reported in all these studies.…”