Phototherapy in Vitiligo: Assessing the Compliance, Response and Patient's Perception about Disease and Treatment

Shakthisri Kandaswamy, Nahid Akhtar, Surya Ravindran, Smitha Prabhu, Shrutakirthi D Shenoi, Shakthisri Kandaswamy, Nahid Akhtar, Surya Ravindran, Smitha Prabhu, Shrutakirthi D Shenoi

Abstract

Context: Vitiligo is a chronic, benign, but emotionally frustrating autoimmune disorder of depigmentation, with an incidence of 0.25-2.5% in India, the treatment of which is equally frustrating to the patient, as well as the doctor. Phototherapy is the first line treatment in many cases, which needs to be given at frequent sittings for long periods of time. As there is no satisfactory, short term treatment, many vitiligo patients, though enthusiastic in the beginning, become defaulters after a few weeks or months.

Aims: This study was conducted to assess the compliance to phototherapy (PUVA and NB-UVB), determine the reasons for non-compliance, to calculate the overall response to phototherapy and to know about the patients' perception about improvement of lesions.

Materials and methods: All files of the patients who attended phototherapy for Vitiligo in the department for a period of 4 years from January 2007 were analyzed and the patients were contacted via mail or telephone and were made to answer questionnaire regarding their disease.

Conclusions: At the end of this retrospective questionnaire based study we concluded that only a quarter of the patients underwent regular phototherapy, among which the younger patients and those with widespread disease and facial lesions were more compliant. Educational status and sex had no impact on default status.

Keywords: Adherence; compliance; phototherapy; vitiligo.

Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of Interest: Nil.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Reasons for discontinuation of phototherapy

References

    1. Das SK, Majumder PP, Chakraborty R, Majumdar TK, Haldar B. Studies on vitiligo: Epidemiological profile in Calcutta, India. Genet Epidemiol. 1985;2:71–8.
    1. Kishan Kumar YH, Rao GR, Gopal KV, Shanti G, Rao KV. Evaluation of narrow-band UVB phototherapy in 150 patients with vitiligo. Indian J Dermatol Venereol Leprol. 2009;75:162–6.
    1. Rai R. Phototherapy: An update. Indian J Dermatol Venereol Leprol. 2009;75:634–7.
    1. Yones SS, Palmer RA, Garibaldinos TM, Hawk JL. Randomized Double Blind Trial of Treatment of Vitiligo: Efficacy of Psoralen-UV-A Therapy vs Narrowband-UV-B Therapy. Arch Dermatol. 2007;143:578–84.
    1. Bhatnagar A, Kanwar AJ, Parsad D, De D. Comparison of systemic PUVA and NB-UVB in the treatment of vitiligo: An open prospective study. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2007;21:638–42.
    1. al-Aboosi MM, Ajam ZA. Oral photochemotherapy in vitiligo: Follow-up, patient compliance. Int J Dermatol. 1995;34:206–8.
    1. Rai R, Srinivas CR. Phototherapy: An Indian perceptive. Indian J Dermatol. 2007;52:169–75.
    1. Lahiri K, Malakar S. The concept of stability of vitiligo: A reappraisal. Indian J Dermatol. 2012;57:83–9.
    1. Norlund JJ. Vitiligo: A review of some facts lesser known about depigmentation. Indian J Dermatol. 2011;56:180–9.

Source: PubMed

Sponsors and Collaborators

Medical Conditions

Drug Interventions

3
Subscribe