Comparison of PUVA and UVB therapy in moderate plaque psoriasis

Abstract

Background Ultraviolet light (UV) is one of the standard psoriasis treatments and has goodeffects for the majority of psoriatics, whether it comes from the sun or from UVB cabinets. Italso suppresses the immune system of the skin and helps create vitamin D.Objective: The aim of the study was to evaluate the efficacy of UVB and PUVA therapy inmoderate plaque psoriasis.Patients and Methods A total of fifty patients of either sex with multiple large plaquepsoriasis, aged more than 30 years and having disease of more than one year duration, wereincluded in the study. They neither had received any phototherapy, nor were they taking anysystemic treatment during last one year. Patients were randomly divided in two equal groupsof twenty five each. Group-I was given 12, thrice weekly sessions of PUVA treatment, whilesimilar number of treatments of UVB was provided to group-II patients. To access theefficacy, Psoriasis area severity index (PASI score) was recorded at baseline, after 12sessions of treatments and after one month follow up. Results were analyzed by usingsoftware program ‘Instat†and statistical significance was found out by analysis of variancetest (ANOVA) and student “t†test.Results Both the groups showed significant improvement after 12 sessions of the treatments(p<0.001) and it continued to some extent in follow up phase (p>0.05). But by comparingover all improvements in two groups, no statistically significant difference was found(p>0.05).Conclusion Both PUVA and UVB phototherapy are effective in moderate plaque psoriasis.However, UVB phototherapy having lesser short term adverse reactions, should be the firstchoice phototherapy (where facilities exist).