Efficacy and safety of non‐laser, targeted UVB phototherapy alone and in combination with psoralen gel or calcipotriol ointment in the treatment of localized, chronic, plaque‐type psoriasis

BACKGROUND: Topical drugs enhance the therapeutic effects of ultraviolet (UV)-based therapy for psoriasis. However, their efficacy has yet to be established in a clinical trial. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to compare the efficacy of targeted microphototherapy alone and in combination with psoralen or calcipotriol in the treatment of plaque-type psoriasis. METHODS: Thirty individuals, affected by plaque-type psoriasis, were treated with targeted narrowband UVB phototherapy alone (Group 1), in combination with psoralen gel (Group 2), or in combination with calcipotriol ointment (Group 3) three times per week based on predetermined minimal erythema doses for 10 weeks. RESULTS: All patients in each group completed the study. The percentages of improvement in Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) and Psoriasis Severity Index (PSI) scores were 33.9% and 38.3% in Group 1, 29.9% and 29.8% in Group 2, and 67.2% and 59% in Group 3, respectively. There was no statistically significant difference in improvement between Groups 1 and 2 (P > 0.05). Outcomes in Group 3 were found to be superior compared with those in the other groups. CONCLUSIONS: The addition of calcipotriol ointment in targeted phototherapy enhances the therapeutic effects of phototherapy in the treatment of plaque-type psoriasis.