Comparitive Study Between Uvb Alone and Uvb With Topical Tacrolimus 0.03% for the Treatment of Vitiligo
Status:
Completed
Trial end date:
2021-11-30
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
Vitiligo is a skin disorder that causes substantial social and psychological distress due to
multiple patches of depigmentation.Disease can target at any age, but it appears to affect
various parts of body due to loss of melanin. Although the exact cause of the disease is
unknown, several theories suggest that genetic predisposition, autoimmunity, and increased
vulnerability of melanocytes to the deleterious effects of harmful metabolites all play a
role in disease causation. It impacts 0.1%-2% of the general population, with a 30% familial
prevalence rate.
Vitiligo treatment still presents a therapeutic challenge for dermatologists despite a
variety of therapeutic modalities. Topical steroids, ultraviolet B phototherapy (UVB
280nm-320nm), and photochemotherapy (PUVA i.e., psoralen plus UVA 329nm-400nm) are
traditional treatment options. Topical calcipotriol and excimer laser are also used.
According to research, narrowband UVB (NB-UVB) is effective when used alone.
Few studies, however also, have reported more than 75% re-pigmentation in patients treated
with NB-UVB in conjunction with other modalities. Topical immunomodulators (tacrolimus,
pimecrolimus) are considered safe and effective long-term treatments for vitiligo because
they do not cause skin atrophy, which is associated with long-term use of topical
corticosteroids. Tacrolimus is an effective treatment for vitiligo when used alone; in one
study, 61% of patients showed more than 75% repigmentation when treated with tacrolimus
alone4. Another study found that when tacrolimus was combined with NB-UVB, 73% of patients
experienced more than 50% repigmentation.
The objective of this research was to present a comparatively new mode of treatment that may
be beneficial to vitiligo patients.