title: No additional effect of topical calcipotriol on narrow-band UVB phototherapy in patients with generalized vitiligo.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  There is no definite cure for vitiligo; however, treatment responses with photobiological modalities are quite acceptable. Of all these, narrow-band UVB phototherapy was proposed rather recently. Calcipotriol has been shown to have stimulating activity on melanogenesis besides immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory effects. This study was performed to determine whether adding topical calcipotriol to narrow-band UVB phototherapy enhances the efficacy of treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this prospective, single-blinded (investigator), right-left comparison clinical study, 20 patients with generalized vitiligo were enrolled. Symmetrical lesions with similar sizes, bilaterally distributed on arms, legs, hands, feet or trunk were selected as reference lesions. In addition to narrow-band UVB, totally 96 treatment sessions, received two or three times weekly, the patients were asked to apply 0.005% topical calcipotriol on the selected side of the reference lesions twice daily. Then, they were monitored at the end of every 24-session interval.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Cosmetically acceptable repigmentation was observed in 55% (11/20) of the patients without taking calcipotriol into account. There was statistically significant better response on the side that calcipotriol was not applied at the 24th session (P < 0.05). No statistically significant difference was found between the calcipotriol-treated and non-treated sides at 48th, 72th, and 96th sessions (P > 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data confirm that, narrow-band UVB phototherapy is effective by itself in vitiligo, and show that adding topical calcipotriol does not improve treatment outcome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey. siminada@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Simin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ada
authors.forename: Sedef
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sahin
authors.forename: Gonca
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Boztepe
authors.forename: Ayşen
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Karaduman
authors.forename: Fikret
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kölemen
mesh_terms: D000279:Administration, Cutaneous; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002117:Calcitriol / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays; D014467:Ultraviolet Therapy; D014820:Vitiligo / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; C055085:calcipotriene; D002117:Calcitriol