Multicenter Prospective Study on the Efficacy of Narrowband Ultraviolet B Treatment and Its Effect on Quality of Life, Anxiety, Depression in Plaque Psoriasis Patients

This study, involving 223 psoriasis patients, investigated the effects of Narrowband Ultraviolet B (NB-UVB) treatment on anxiety and depression. All participants received NB-UVB therapy for 4 weeks, and 181 continued for 12 weeks. The study found that a reduction in Body Surface Area (BSA) affected by psoriasis was statistically associated with reductions in both Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale-Anxiety (HADS-A) scores. The median HADS-A score significantly decreased from 4 to 2 (p < 0.001), indicating a decrease in anxiety levels. However, the median HADS-D (depression) score showed no significant change post-treatment. The study concluded that short-term NB-UVB treatment can significantly decrease anxiety levels in psoriasis patients, but may not significantly affect depression.