Comparison of the efficacy of tacrolimus 0.1% ointment vs calcipotriol/betamethasone in combination with NBUVB in treatment of vitiligo

Abstract

Purpose: Vitiligo is an idiopathic depigmenting skin disorder. The study compares the efficacy of topical tacrolimus 0.1% with calcipotriol/betamethasone dipropionate in vitiligo patients receiving NB-UVB treatment. Materials and methods: Forty-one adult patients with generalized type vitiligo were recruited. Patients were assigned to phototherapy and then classified into either group one (20 patients), receiving calcipotriol/betamethasone dipropionate cream (D group), or group two (21 patients), receiving tacrolimus 0.1% ointment (T group). They were followed-up at 3 and 6 months. Results: The D group witnessed an increase in the repigmentation area from 35.4% in the third month to 54.7% in the sixth month (p = 0.001) and the T group from 32.2% to 45.6% (p = 0.011). However, the differences between the treatment groups were not statistically significant. Body sites demonstrated different levels of improvement ranging from the highest in the face to the lowest in the Hand & Feet with the other body sites in between. A negative correlation was identified between the duration since diagnosis and the response to D treatment (3 months: r = −0.612, p = 0.007; 6 months: r = −0.755, p = 0.001). Conclusions: Although both combinations are efficacious, they did not significantly differ in efficacy at three and six months follow-up points. Clinical trial registration: The study was registered at clinicaltrials.gov (NCT04440371).