Effects of Phototherapy on Sleep, Fatigue and Quality of Life in Dermatology Patients: A Pilot Study

Objectives: Sleep disturbances and fatigue are prevalent among dermatology patients. Owing to the growing evidence on the effects of light-based therapies on neuropsychiatric disorders, this study aimed to investigate how narrow-band ultraviolet B (NB-UVB) phototherapy influences sleep quality and fatigue.
Methods: In this prospective observational study, 30 patients receiving or scheduled to receive NB-UVB phototherapy were included. Phototherapy was administered 2–3 times per week with eye protection. Sleep quality, fatigue, and dermatology-specific quality of life were assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Piper Fatigue Scale (PFS), and Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI), respectively. Measurements were performed at study entry and at the one-month follow-up.
Results: The mean age was 48.2±12.9 years, and 63.3% of the patients were male. The most common diagnoses were vitiligo (40%), mycosis fungoides (26.7%), and psoriasis vulgaris (13.3%). The median PSQI score decreased from 8 at baseline to 5 at the one-month follow-up (p<0.001). The median PFS score decreased from 3.88 to 2.38 (p=0.019). DLQI showed no significant change. Changes in PSQI and PFS were significantly correlated (r=0.435, p=0.016). Multiple regression analysis identified ΔPFS, total cumulative dose, and ΔDLQI as independent predictors of ΔPSQI.
Conclusion: NB-UVB phototherapy was associated with improvements in sleep quality and fatigue in dermatology patients over the course of treatment. These effects appear to be independent of changes in dermatology-specific quality of life and are likely mediated through neuroendocrine, circadian, and peripheral pathways. NB-UVB phototherapy may serve as an effective adjunctive treatment for sleep disturbances and fatigue in dermatology patients.

Keywords: Dermatology, fatigue, NB-UVB, phototherapy, sleep quality