Assessment of efficacy of narrowband ultraviolet B phototherapy in the treatment of chronic foot eczema: A longitudinal study

Background: Foot eczema is a chronic debilitating condition that presents a psychosocial burden on patients and often follows a long course which is frequently refractory to conservative therapies. Aim: To conduct a prospective study to assess the efficacy of narrowband ultraviolet B (NBUVB) therapy for chronic foot eczema. Methods: Twenty patients with foot eczema participated in the study. NBUVB therapy was administered twice weekly for 12 weeks. Clinical findings, such as erythema, itching, induration, desquamation, and fissuring, were scored every four weeks for a period of 12 weeks. Results: The mean age of patients was 27.8±15.3 years. Their ages ranged from 4 to 55 years. Majority of patients were female [14 (70%)]. History of atopy was present among four (20%) patients. Thirteen (65%) had foot involvement while seven (35%) had both hand and foot involvement. Of the 20 patients who completed the study, eight (40%) had excellent response, eight (40%) had good response, three (15%) had partial response, and one (5%) had poor response to phototherapy. Average number of sessions required to produce >75% response was nine, with an average dose of 900 mJ/cm². There was a significant difference in all the clinical scores from baseline and at the end of 12 weeks (p<0.001). Conclusion: NBUVB therapy is a safe and effective treatment for patients with chronic foot eczema and can be considered as first-line treatment.