Efficacy of narrowband UVB phototherapy in erythema dyschromicum perstans treatment: case reports.

Ashy dermatosis or erythema dyschromicum perstans (EDP) is a typically asymptomatic disease of unknown origin that causes symmetrical gray spots on the trunk and extremities (1). It was first described by Ramirez in 1957 (2). Patients show oval, irregular, or polycyclic gray macules with erythematous, inflammatory borders (3). There is no single established therapy for EDP. The aim of our study was to evaluate the efficacy of narrowband UVB (nbUVB) phototherapy for the treatment of EDP. We present two women, 53 and 59 years old, with a one-year history of progressive cutaneous pigmentary changes, were admitted to our Department. Initially, lesions presented as asymptomatic blue gray macules on the trunk, which slowly spread to her extremities. Both patients had a history of thyroid disease: the first presented with multiple nodules in both thyroid lobes, compatible with a diagnosis of multinodular goitre; the second had autoimmune thyroiditis. Physical examination revealed the presence of multiple bluish-gray macules with slight erythematous borders, non-pruriginous, on the trunk, abdomen, and extremities; the largest was 2 cm in diameter (Figure 1). Before coming to our Department, both patients had received topical corticosteroid therapy (dexossimetazone 0.25%, twice a day) for 2 months, without any improvement.