Abstract | BACKGROUND: Only a few, small double-blind clinical trials have been reported for the treatment of vitiligo. Narrowband-ultraviolet B (NB-UVB) is an established form of treatment for this condition. Tacrolimus ointment is assumed to have an effect in some patients. OBJECTIVES: METHODS: In a randomized double-blind trial, patients with stable symmetrical vitiligo were treated half-side with tacrolimus ointment (0.1%) and half-side with placebo ointment. Whole body NB-UVB was given twice or thrice weekly for at least 3 months. As a morphometric device, Visitrak(TM) was used to measure the area of the vitiligo target lesions. RESULTS: Of 40 patients, 27 had a better effect on the tacrolimus side. The degree of improvement was significantly better on the tacrolimus side (P = 0.005). The median reduction in the target lesion areas was 42.1% on the tacrolimus side and 29% on the placebo side. There was a correlation between the effect and the number of topical tacrolimus applications (P = 0.044), but there was no correlation with the number of UV treatments given; neither any significance of gender, age, skin type, duration of disease, familial occurrence of vitiligo nor presence of other autoimmune disease or atopy was observed. We found a significant reduction in the patients' subjective disease impact during the treatment period (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: According to this study, the combination of NB-UVB and tacrolimus ointment (0.1%) is more effective than UV treatment alone in patients with vitiligo. The effect is tacrolimus total dose-dependent.
|
Authors | E J Nordal, G E Guleng, J R Rönnevig |
Journal | Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology : JEADV
(J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol)
Vol. 25
Issue 12
Pg. 1440-3
(Dec 2011)
ISSN: 1468-3083 [Electronic] England |
PMID | 21466589
(Publication Type: Journal Article, Randomized Controlled Trial)
|
Copyright | © 2011 The Authors. Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology © 2011 European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology. |
Chemical References |
- Immunosuppressive Agents
- Ointments
- Placebos
- Tacrolimus
|
Topics |
- Adult
- Aged
- Double-Blind Method
- Female
- Humans
- Immunosuppressive Agents
(administration & dosage, therapeutic use)
- Male
- Middle Aged
- Ointments
- Placebos
- Tacrolimus
(administration & dosage, therapeutic use)
- Ultraviolet Rays
- Vitiligo
(drug therapy, radiotherapy)
|