Efficacy of the combined excimer light and topical calcipotriol for acral vitiligo: A randomized double-blind comparative study.

ABSTRACT

Excimer light, topical vitamin D analogues, and topical steroids have been reported to be effective treatments for vitiligo. However, monotherapy often demonstrates unfavorable results for acral vitiligo. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of combination treatment with 308-nm excimer light and topical calcipotriol or topical clobetasol ointment for acral vitiligo. A prospective, randomized, double-blind, and intraindividual study was conducted. Combination treatment (excimer light and topical medication) was applied in the first 12 weeks, and monotherapy (topical medication alone) was used in the later 12 weeks. Both hands were irradiated with excimer light three times a week for 12 weeks. Calcipotriol ointment was randomly assigned to one hand, whereas clobetasol ointment was assigned to the other hand. The ointments were applied twice daily for a total of 24 weeks. Repigmentation, clinical improvement, and adverse reactions were assessed. A total of 26 hands completed the study. Of the hands treated with excimer light and calcipotriol, approximately 8% achieved excellent repigmentation at the end of the combination treatment period and 23% achieved good to excellent improvement after 12 weeks of calcipotriol monotherapy. More than 85% and 77% of the hands treated with calcipotriol-based and clobetasol-based regimens showed some repigmentation at the end of the study, respectively (P < .05). Nevertheless, no significant difference was found between the treatments. No serious adverse reactions were observed. In conclusion, the combination of excimer light and topical calcipotriol followed by topical calcipotriol alone is effective and might be a promising treatment regimen for acral vitiligo.