limited exposure UVB for vitamin D deficiency

  • Research type

    Research Study

  • Full title

    Limited exposure narrowband ultraviolet B (NB-UVB) to face and arms using a portable lamp in healthy volunteers and patients with vitamin D insufficiency.

  • IRAS ID

    215372

  • Contact name

    David Wright

  • Contact email

    david.wright@chsft.nhs.uk

  • Sponsor organisation

    City Hospitals Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust

  • Duration of Study in the UK

    1 years, 0 months, 1 days

  • Research summary

    An adequate vitamin D supply is crucial for bone health and may be important in the prevention of certain cancers and autoimmune diseases. At present vitamin D deficiency is common worldwide. In the UK this condition frequently affects people especially in winter when vitamin D synthesis induced by the sun is zero.

    Solar ultraviolet (UV) exposure is the major source of vitamin D and as much as 90% of all vitamin D has to be formed in the skin. Narrowband UVB (NB-UVB) is a safe and effective method of stimulating vitamin D production, and it is impossible to overdose. This is the first study of short burst, limited exposure to forearms and face at home using a portable lamp.

    In most patients oral vitamin D supplementation is well tolerated and effective, but there is a minority who will not tolerate or absorb oral vitamin D. In the proposed study we will examine whether a seven day course of NB-UVB to hands and face improves vitamin D balance in winter in healthy volunteers and patients with vitamin D insufficiency, and whether this approach might be feasible, tolerated and acceptable to patients. In later studies we intend to assess if the technique can be used in nursing homes, in Crohn's disease and other causes of malabsorption and other chronic diseases which restrict sunlight exposure.

  • REC name

    North East - Newcastle & North Tyneside 2 Research Ethics Committee

  • REC reference

    17/NE/0014

  • Date of REC Opinion

    3 May 2017

  • REC opinion

    Further Information Favourable Opinion