A study compared the effects of combined narrowband midwave (NBMW) using UVB 311 nM with broadband long wave (BBLW) using 320-40 nM in 92 adult patients with a variety of pruritic skin diseases. A comparison with NBMW was made. The combined group had better efficacy (98 vs. 71%) and required less time to achieve remission compared with the NBMW group (15.2 vs. 23.1 days, respectively; P < 0.05). Itching was significantly reduced in the combination group versus the NBMW group (60 vs. 28% at the end of 1 week). Levels of 5-hydroxytryptamine and histamine were significantly elevated at baseline, but in the combination group, these returned to normal. Some decreases were ...