ABSTRACT
Background: In this clinical trial, we examined whether or not expressive writing as a psychological intervention reduces psychological distress in vitiligo patients receiving phototherapy
Methods: A total of 139 adult vitiligo patients were asked to complete the GHQ-28 in order to identify their psychiatric disturbances. The GHQ-28 scores showed that 78 patients [56.5%] had psychiatric distress. They were later enrolled in this randomized controlled clinical trial conducted during June 2009 until Dec. 2009 at Razi Hospital in Tehran. Patients were randomly divided into 2 groups. Group A underwent the routine treatment protocol. Group B did the same, but they were also instructed to practice 'expressive writing'. The intervention continued 4 weeks. After 4 weeks, patients in both groups were re-evaluated using the GHQ-28
Results: The overall GHQ-28 scores and sub-scores were significantly reduced in both groups A [47.9 +/- 11.71, P=0.000] and B [48.94 +/- 10.69, P=0.000] after 4 weeks of intervention. However, no statistically significance difference was found between the two groups in terms of their overall scores [P=0.7] and their sub-scores
Conclusion: The effect of expressive writing on reducing psychological distress in patients with vitiligo remains equivocal. Nonetheless, further studies with larger sample sizes and of longer duration especially in non-western cultural contexts are recommended
ABSTRACT
Phototherapy is an important modality in dermatology and the number of skin diseases which can be controlled with it is increasing. In order to start treatment, the first dose of phototherapy is determined by measurement of minimal erythema dose [MED] in each patient individually or according to patient's skin type. To determine the relationship of skin type with MED in patients under UV phototherapy referred to Razi Hospital in Tehran .In patients referred to Razi Hospital in 1381[2002-2003] for UVB phototherapy, skin type was determined according to Fitzpatrick's classification and MED was measured using an UV-meter. Age, sex and the disease of the patients were also recorded. The data were analysed using one way ANOVA and Welch tests. Eighty patients including 39 males and 41 females were studied. The mean age of the patients was 32 years [SD=15.8]. Their diseases include psoriasis, vitiligo, parapsoriasis, pityriasis lichenoides chronica, perforating disorder and patch stage mycosis fungoides. The mean of MED in 17 patients with skin type II was 111.8 +/- 39.2, in 42 patients with skin type III was 105.9 +/- 43.1, and in 21 patients with skin type IV was 114.3 +/- 39.2 mJ/cm [2], with no significant statistical difference. The first dose of phototherapy could not be determined based on skin type and measurement of MED is necessary in each patient