title: Triple-combination treatment with oral α-lipoic acid, betamethasone injection, and NB-UVB for non-segmental progressive vitiligo.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Vitiligo is an acquired depigmenting disease with uncertain etiopathogenesis and the treatment modalities need to be consistently updated.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate a triple-combination treatment with oral α-lipoic acid (ALA), betamethasone injection, and narrowband ultraviolet B (NB-UVB) on vitiligo.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients with non-segmental and progressive vitiligo lesions were randomly assigned to two groups. The treatment group and the control group were respectively treated with oral ALA and placebo, in combination with betamethasone injection and NB-UVB. The effectiveness and adverse events were evaluated by investigators and patients before and after treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fifty non-segmental progressive vitiligo patients were enrolled in the study. The treatment period was 6 months. In treatment group, over 40% patients achieved > 50% improvement and ≥ 5 satisfaction score by 3-month therapy (M3). This percentage increased to 90% at M6. Treatment group achieved better efficacy than control group at M3, while no difference was seen at M6.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The combined treatment with oral ALA, betamethasone injection, and NB-UVB was effective and safe on non-segmental progressive vitiligo. ALA could accelerate the initial response of repigmentation.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Dermatology , The First Hospital of China Medical University , Shenyang , China.|b Department of Dermatology , No. 3 Hospital of Xi'an City, Xi'an , China.
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: a Department of Dermatology , The First Hospital of China Medical University , Shenyang , China.
authors.forename: Lu
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: a Department of Dermatology , The First Hospital of China Medical University , Shenyang , China.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: a Department of Dermatology , The First Hospital of China Medical University , Shenyang , China.
authors.forename: Xing-Hua
authors.initials: XH
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.affiliation: a Department of Dermatology , The First Hospital of China Medical University , Shenyang , China.
authors.forename: Hong-Duo
authors.initials: HD
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D000622:Aminolevulinic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001623:Betamethasone / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003879:Dermatologic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014467:Ultraviolet Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D014820:Vitiligo / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000628:therapy*
chemical_list: D003879:Dermatologic Agents; D000622:Aminolevulinic Acid; D001623:Betamethasone
keywords: Vitiligo; corticosteroid; α-lipoic acid