To study the role of tofacitinib and betamethasone pulse in the treatment of vitiligo at a tertiary care centre: an observational comparative study

Background: According to recent updates, both genetic and non-genetic factors play a role in the pathogenesis of vitiligo, and CD8T lymphocytes and interferon γ are also known to result in vitiligo. The new oral biologic tofacitinib, which is a Janus kinase inhibitor, is a new addition to the armame...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Rashmi Singh, Surabhi Shandilya, Kamalpreet Kaur Bhaikhel, Gopi Krishna Maddali
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2024-01-01
Series:Pigment International
Subjects:
Online Access:https://journals.lww.com/10.4103/pigmentinternational.pigmentinternational_38_22
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1841558845493608448
author Rashmi Singh
Surabhi Shandilya
Kamalpreet Kaur Bhaikhel
Gopi Krishna Maddali
author_facet Rashmi Singh
Surabhi Shandilya
Kamalpreet Kaur Bhaikhel
Gopi Krishna Maddali
author_sort Rashmi Singh
collection DOAJ
description Background: According to recent updates, both genetic and non-genetic factors play a role in the pathogenesis of vitiligo, and CD8T lymphocytes and interferon γ are also known to result in vitiligo. The new oral biologic tofacitinib, which is a Janus kinase inhibitor, is a new addition to the armamentarium of immunosuppressive therapy to halt disease progression in vitiligo. Tofacitinib is also known to inhibit IFN-γ mediated inflammation, which is an important step in the development of vitiligo lesions. Aims and objectives: The aim of this study was to compare tofacitinib with betamethasone pulse in reducing the disease activity with respect to reduction in VASI (vitiligo area severity index) and BSA (body surface area) in patients with vitiligo. The primary objective was to see the efficacy of tofacitinib over betamethasone in the treatment of vitiligo, and the secondary objective was to assess its safety in treating vitiligo patients. Methodology: All the patients with vitiligo of age >12 years attending the dermatology clinic of our institute and willing to give written informed consent were included in the study. Group A patients were prescribed betamethasone 4 mg twice weekly, and group B patients were given tofacitinib 5 mg twice daily, followed by sun exposure in both groups, and photography was done at each monthly visit. Results: The mean change in VASI and BSA in the tofacitinib group was better at each visit than in the betamethasone group. The mean VASI scores at baseline, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd visits were 13.64, 12.79, 11.57, and 10.57, respectively, and the mean BSA at baseline, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd visits were 10.80, 9.75, 8.30, and 7.75 respectively, in the betamethasone group. Similarly, in the tofacitinib group, mean BSA values from baseline to the 3rd visit were consecutively 11.47, 9.50, 7.50, and 5.25, and mean VASIs were 14.92, 12.46, 9.46, and 7.08, respectively. Further, mean changes in BSA and VASI from baseline at each visit. as depicted in graphs 1 and 2, were more in tofacitinib group. There was no side effect in either group at any of the visits. Conclusion: Tofacitinib, along with sun exposure, can cause faster repigmentation and faster control of disease activity, as evident from mean changes at each visit, than oral betamethasone pulse in vitiligo patients.
format Article
id doaj-art-77ac79fbcc40479a9a06a52b26d77d9a
institution Kabale University
issn 2349-5847
language English
publishDate 2024-01-01
publisher Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications
record_format Article
series Pigment International
spelling doaj-art-77ac79fbcc40479a9a06a52b26d77d9a2025-01-06T05:00:24ZengWolters Kluwer Medknow PublicationsPigment International2349-58472024-01-01111212610.4103/pigmentinternational.pigmentinternational_38_22To study the role of tofacitinib and betamethasone pulse in the treatment of vitiligo at a tertiary care centre: an observational comparative studyRashmi SinghSurabhi ShandilyaKamalpreet Kaur BhaikhelGopi Krishna MaddaliBackground: According to recent updates, both genetic and non-genetic factors play a role in the pathogenesis of vitiligo, and CD8T lymphocytes and interferon γ are also known to result in vitiligo. The new oral biologic tofacitinib, which is a Janus kinase inhibitor, is a new addition to the armamentarium of immunosuppressive therapy to halt disease progression in vitiligo. Tofacitinib is also known to inhibit IFN-γ mediated inflammation, which is an important step in the development of vitiligo lesions. Aims and objectives: The aim of this study was to compare tofacitinib with betamethasone pulse in reducing the disease activity with respect to reduction in VASI (vitiligo area severity index) and BSA (body surface area) in patients with vitiligo. The primary objective was to see the efficacy of tofacitinib over betamethasone in the treatment of vitiligo, and the secondary objective was to assess its safety in treating vitiligo patients. Methodology: All the patients with vitiligo of age >12 years attending the dermatology clinic of our institute and willing to give written informed consent were included in the study. Group A patients were prescribed betamethasone 4 mg twice weekly, and group B patients were given tofacitinib 5 mg twice daily, followed by sun exposure in both groups, and photography was done at each monthly visit. Results: The mean change in VASI and BSA in the tofacitinib group was better at each visit than in the betamethasone group. The mean VASI scores at baseline, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd visits were 13.64, 12.79, 11.57, and 10.57, respectively, and the mean BSA at baseline, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd visits were 10.80, 9.75, 8.30, and 7.75 respectively, in the betamethasone group. Similarly, in the tofacitinib group, mean BSA values from baseline to the 3rd visit were consecutively 11.47, 9.50, 7.50, and 5.25, and mean VASIs were 14.92, 12.46, 9.46, and 7.08, respectively. Further, mean changes in BSA and VASI from baseline at each visit. as depicted in graphs 1 and 2, were more in tofacitinib group. There was no side effect in either group at any of the visits. Conclusion: Tofacitinib, along with sun exposure, can cause faster repigmentation and faster control of disease activity, as evident from mean changes at each visit, than oral betamethasone pulse in vitiligo patients.https://journals.lww.com/10.4103/pigmentinternational.pigmentinternational_38_22oral treatmenttofacitinibbetamethasonemini pulsevitiligo
spellingShingle Rashmi Singh
Surabhi Shandilya
Kamalpreet Kaur Bhaikhel
Gopi Krishna Maddali
To study the role of tofacitinib and betamethasone pulse in the treatment of vitiligo at a tertiary care centre: an observational comparative study
Pigment International
oral treatment
tofacitinib
betamethasone
mini pulse
vitiligo
title To study the role of tofacitinib and betamethasone pulse in the treatment of vitiligo at a tertiary care centre: an observational comparative study
title_full To study the role of tofacitinib and betamethasone pulse in the treatment of vitiligo at a tertiary care centre: an observational comparative study
title_fullStr To study the role of tofacitinib and betamethasone pulse in the treatment of vitiligo at a tertiary care centre: an observational comparative study
title_full_unstemmed To study the role of tofacitinib and betamethasone pulse in the treatment of vitiligo at a tertiary care centre: an observational comparative study
title_short To study the role of tofacitinib and betamethasone pulse in the treatment of vitiligo at a tertiary care centre: an observational comparative study
title_sort to study the role of tofacitinib and betamethasone pulse in the treatment of vitiligo at a tertiary care centre an observational comparative study
topic oral treatment
tofacitinib
betamethasone
mini pulse
vitiligo
url https://journals.lww.com/10.4103/pigmentinternational.pigmentinternational_38_22
work_keys_str_mv AT rashmisingh tostudytheroleoftofacitinibandbetamethasonepulseinthetreatmentofvitiligoatatertiarycarecentreanobservationalcomparativestudy
AT surabhishandilya tostudytheroleoftofacitinibandbetamethasonepulseinthetreatmentofvitiligoatatertiarycarecentreanobservationalcomparativestudy
AT kamalpreetkaurbhaikhel tostudytheroleoftofacitinibandbetamethasonepulseinthetreatmentofvitiligoatatertiarycarecentreanobservationalcomparativestudy
AT gopikrishnamaddali tostudytheroleoftofacitinibandbetamethasonepulseinthetreatmentofvitiligoatatertiarycarecentreanobservationalcomparativestudy