Effectiveness of narrowband UVB phototherapy and psoralen plus UVA photochemotherapy in the treatment of generalized lichen planus: Results from a large retrospective analysis and an update of the literature

BACKGROUND: The aim of this retrospective study was to compare the efficacy and safety of different phototherapeutic modalities in the treatment of cutaneous lichen planus (LP). METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the chart data of 53 patients with generalized LP who had been subjected to narrowband UVB (NB‐UVB) or photochemotherapy (PUVA) between January 1997 and April 2020. Of these, 30 patients had received NB‐UVB, 18 patients oral PUVA and 5 patients bath PUVA. RESULTS: Fifty patients completed a full treatment course. The percentage of patients with a complete (>90% clearing) or good (51%‐90% clearing) response was similar for NB‐UVB versus PUVA (86.2% vs. 90.5%; P = 1.00). The number of exposures required for obtaining a complete or good response was also comparable for both treatment groups (NB‐UVB: 28.9 ± 12.3 vs. PUVA: 25.4 ± 10.1; P = .209). Adverse events, in particular gastrointestinal upsets, were recorded in 26.1% of patients treated with oral PUVA while none were observed with NB‐UVB. CONCLUSION: The therapeutic outcome and the number of treatments required for achieving a complete or good response were comparable for NB‐UVB and PUVA; however, PUVA therapy was associated with a substantially higher rate of moderate adverse events.