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Topical mycophenolate mofetil in the treatment of vitiligo: a pilot study
Farhad Handjani1,2, Shahin Aghaei3, Iman Moezzi1,2
1Molecular Dermatology Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
Background:
Vitiligo is a multifactorial disease that is characterized by circumscribed depigmented macules and patches. Autoimmune reactions may play an important role in the pathogenesis of the disease. Mycophenolate mofetil is a drug that inhibits DNA synthesis in lymphocytes and has been used in autoimmune diseases such as immunobullous skin diseases, lupus erythematosus, and autoimmune hepatitis.
Objectives:
The objective of this study was to show the efficacy of topical mycophenolate mofetil in the treatment of vitiligo.
Methods:
Thirty patients with limited vitiligo were enrolled in this study. The patients applied a topical preparation of mycophenolate mofetil 15% twice daily for three months and at the end of every month, repigmentation was assessed using the Vitiligo Area Scoring Index (VASI).
Results:
At the end of the third month, 36.6 % (n=11) of the patients showed about 25% repigmentation of the lesions. No side effects were observed throughout the study.
Conclusion:
This study showed that topical mycophenolate mofetil can be somewhat effective in the treatment of vitiligo; however, it seems to be inferior to potent topical steroids in inducing repigmentation.
