A Case of Psoriasis After Narrow Band UVB (NBUVB) Phototherapy for Vitiligo Treatment

Abstract

Phototherapy methods commonly used in the treatment of vitiligo include narrow-band ultraviolet B (NB-UVB). A 23-years old male was diagnosed with vitiligo in the dermatology polyclinic and was followed up in the phototherapy unit with NB-UVB treatment of 3 sessions per week; in the 42nd session psoriasis plaques were seen to have developed. We suggest that this rare but important association should be considered as a side effect of narrow-band phototherapy.

Keywords

• Psoriasis
• Phototherapy
• Treatment
• Vitiligo

References

1. Berger, T. G., Kiesewetter, F., Maczek, C., Bauer, N., Lueftl, M., Schuler, G., & Simon Jr, M. (2006). Psoriasis confined strictly to vitiligo areas–a Koebner‐like phenomenon?. Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, 20(2), 178-183. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-3083.2006.01354.x
2. Goodwin, R. G., Finlay, A. Y., & Anstey, A. V. (2001). Vitiligo following narrow‐band TL‐01 phototherapy for psoriasis. British Journal of Dermatology, 144(6), 1264-1266. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2133.2001.04247.x
3. Halcin, C., Hann, S. K., & Kauh, Y. C. (1997). Vitiligo following the resolution of psoriatic plaques during PUVA therapy. International journal of dermatology, 36(7), 534-536. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-4362.1997.tb01156.x
4. Rodríguez-Martín, M., Sáez-Rodríguez, M., Carnerero-Rodríguez, A., de Paz, R. C., Sidro-Sarto, M., Pérez-Robayna, N., ... & Noda-Cabrera, A. (2007). Coincidental presentation of vitiligo and psoriasis in a patient with polyglandular autoimmune syndrome. Clinical and experimental dermatology, 32(4), 453. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2230.2007.02415.x
5. Sandhu, K., Kaur, I., & Kumar, B. (2004). Psoriasis and vitiligo. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 51(1), 149-150. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaad.2003.12.014
6. Yanovsky, R. L., Huang, K. P., & Buzney, E. A. (2020). Optimizing narrowband UVB phototherapy regimens for psoriasis. Dermatologic clinics, 38(1), 1-10. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.det.2019.08.001
7. Zubair, R., & Hamzavi, I. H. (2019). Phototherapy for Vitiligo. Dermatologic clinics, 38(1), 55-62. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.det.2019.08.005