Original scientific paper
A Preliminary Study on the Therapeutic Effects of Hydroxychloroquine on Generalized Vitiligo
Soudabeh Sazgarnia
; Mashhad Azad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
Pouran Layegh
; Cutaneous Leishmani- asis Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
Emadodin Darchini-Maragheh
; Cutaneous Leishmani- asis Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
Vahid Sepehr
; Mashhad Azad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
Mojtaba Meshkat
; Department of Library, Mashhad Azad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
Sedigheh Fathi-Najafi
; Cutaneous Leishmani- asis Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
Sara Rahsepar
; Cutaneous Leishmani- asis Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
Abstract
Vitiligo is a recalcitrant depigmentary autoimmune skin disorder.
Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) is an effective immunomodulatory drug which is
widely used in treatment of autoimmune disorders. HCQ-induced pigmenta-
tion has been previously found in patients taking HCQ due to other auto-
immune diseases. The present study aimed to determine whether HCQ im-
proves re-pigmentation of generalized vitiligo. HCQ was orally administered
400 mg daily (6.5 mg/Kg of body weight) by 15 patients with generalized
vitiligo (more than 10% involvement of body surface area) for three months.
Patients were evaluated monthly and skin re-pigmentation was assessed us-
ing the Vitiligo Area Scoring Index (VASI). Laboratory data were obtained and
repeated monthly. Fifteen patients (12 women and 3 men) with a mean age
of 30.13±12.75 years were studied. After 3 months, the extent of re-pigmen-
tation on all the body regions, including the upper extremities, hands, trunk,
lower extremities, feet, and head and neck was significantly higher than the
baseline (P value <0.001, 0.016, 0.029, <0.001, 0.006, 0.006, respectively).
Patients with concomitant autoimmune diseases had significantly more re-
pigmentation compared with others (P=0.020). No irregular laboratory data
were observed during the study. HCQ could be an effective treatment for
generalized vitiligo. The benefits are likely to be more evident in case of con-
comitant autoimmune disease. The authors recommend additional large-
scale controlled studies to draw further conclusions.
Keywords
hydroxychloroquine; vitiligo; skin; pigmentation
Hrčak ID:
299628
URI
Publication date:
14.9.2022.
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