Comparison of efficacy of narrow band ultraviolet b phototherapy with emollients in uremic pruritus patients at tertiary care hospital.

Objective: To compare mean pruritus score (5 -d itch score) between Narrow Band UVB verses topical emollients in patients of uremic pruritus. Study Design: Quasi-Experimental Study. Setting: Departments of Dermatology and Nephrology, Sahiwal Teaching Hospital Sahiwal. Period: March to August 2024. Methods: A total of sixty patients of end-stage renal disease on hemodialysis having uremic pruritus with 5-d itch score >15 were selected and randomly divided into two groups through lottery method. Group A patients were treated with twice weekly sessions of Narrowband UVB Phototherapy and Group B with emollients (liquid paraffin and white soft paraffin mixed in 1:1) applied topically on body twice daily. Patients of both groups were assessed after treatment at 12 week by using 5-D itch score at baseline and 12 week. Results: Majority of the patients belonged to 36 to 55 years of age and female gender outnumber male among study participants in both groups. The final 5D itch score decreased from baseline was recorded in both groups, but significant mean decrease in 5D itch more than half (53%) from its baseline was seen in group A patients treated with narrowband UVB phototherapy (10.76±3.25) compared to group B treated with emollients (4.23±2.95).Intergroup comparison results showed a statistically significant difference between the mean 5 D itch scores of both groups. (p-value <0.001). Conclusion: Narrow band UVB phototherapy is more effective as compared to emollients in the treatment of Uremic pruritus.