| ORIGINAL ARTICLE |
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| Year : 2012 | Volume
: 78
| Issue : 1 | Page : 74--81 |
Survey of dermatologists' phototherapy practices for vitiligo
Khalid M AlGhamdi1, Huma Khurram2, Alain Taïeb3
1 Department of Dermatology, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh; Vitiligo Research Chair, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
2 Vitiligo Research Chair, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
3 Department of Dermatology and Pediatric Dermatology, Saint André and Pellegrin Hospitals, Bordeaux University Hospitals, France
Correspondence Address:
Khalid M AlGhamdi
Dermatology Department, Director, Vitiligo Research Chair, College of Medicine, King Saud University, P.O. Box 240997, Riyadh 11322
Saudi Arabia
 Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None  | Check |
DOI: 10.4103/0378-6323.90950
Background: The details of phototherapy practices for vitiligo have been rarely studied. Objective: To explore the details of phototherapy practices for vitiligo among dermatologists. Methods: A self-administered questionnaire about the details of phototherapy practices for vitiligo was distributed to all dermatologists attending a national general dermatology conference in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in 2008. Results: Questionnaires were returned by 121 of 140 participants (response rate = 86.4%). The mean age of the respondents was 39.34 9.7 years, and 65% were males. One hundred eight of 110 (98.2%) respondents provided phototherapy to their vitiligo patients. The mean number of vitiligo patients who underwent phototherapy each week per dermatologist's office was 18 2.26. Narrowband ultraviolet B (NB-UVB) was the most common modality chosen to treat generalized vitiligo (84%). Excimer laser was the most common modality used to treat focal and segmental vitiligo (53% and 39%, respectively). Sixty-eight percent of dermatologists administered a fixed starting dose of NB-UVB to all patients, whereas 31% used the minimal erythema dose as a guide. Fifty percent reported that NB-UVB resulted in better color matching with the surrounding skin. Thirty-seven percent favored NB-UVB over psoralen + ultraviolet A for a faster response, and 31% preferred NB-UVB for a pigmentation that is more durable. Forty-seven percent (50/106) of the respondents limited the number of phototherapy sessions to reduce the risks of skin cancer. However, no respondent reported any skin cancer incidence in phototherapy-treated vitiligo patients. Conclusion: There is a need for phototherapy guidelines for the treatment of vitiligo in patients with skin of color.
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