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Pilot Phase Results Of A Prospective, Randomized Controlled Trial Of Narrowband Ultraviolet B Phototherapy In Hospitalized Covid-19 Patients, Frank H. Lau, Catherine E. Powell, Giacomo Adonecchi, Denise M. Danos, Andrew R. Dinardo, Robert J. Chugden, Peter Wolf, Carmen F. Castilla

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

COVID-19 morbidity and mortality are driven by poor immune regulation. Narrowband ultraviolet B (NB-UVB) phototherapy is standard of care in a number of immune-dysregulated diseases. To assess the efficacy of NB-UVB phototherapy for improving COVID-19 outcomes in high-risk, hospitalized, we developed the Adaptive Photo-Protection Trial. This is a multi-center, prospective, double-blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled trial. The pilot phase results are reported here. Consecutive patients admitted with a positive COVID-19 PCR were screened for eligibility. Enrolled subjects were computer randomized 1:1 to NB-UVB or placebo phototherapy. Subjects were treated daily with escalating doses on 27% of their body surface area for up …