Combination therapies for vitiligo: narrowband UVB phototherapy combined with systemic and topical immunomodulators
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.55892/jrg.v9i20.3023Keywords:
Vitiligo, Phototherapy, Narrowband UVB, Immunomodulators, Combination TherapyAbstract
Vitiligo is a chronic dermatological disorder characterized by the progressive loss of melanocytes, resulting in depigmented macules and significant psychosocial impact on affected individuals. Among the available therapeutic approaches, narrowband ultraviolet B (NB-UVB) phototherapy has been considered one of the first-line treatments for vitiligo. In recent years, different combination therapies have been investigated in order to enhance the clinical outcomes of phototherapy. The present study aimed to analyze the scientific evidence regarding the effectiveness of the association between NB-UVB phototherapy and topical or systemic immunomodulators in the treatment of vitiligo. This study is a qualitative systematic review conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA 2020) guidelines. The literature search was performed in PubMed/MEDLINE, SciELO, ScienceDirect, and Cochrane Library databases, including studies published between 2016 and 2026. Randomized clinical trials, prospective studies, and systematic reviews evaluating combination therapies involving NB-UVB were included. After the selection process, 17 studies were included in the qualitative synthesis. Overall, the analyzed studies demonstrated that the association between NB-UVB and topical immunomodulators, such as tacrolimus and corticosteroids, as well as systemic immunomodulators, may result in higher repigmentation rates compared to phototherapy alone. It is concluded that combination therapies involving NB-UVB represent a promising therapeutic strategy for vitiligo management; however, further randomized clinical trials with greater methodological standardization are required to better establish their efficacy and safety.
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References
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