Randomised controlled trial of topical corticosteroid and home‐based narrowband UVB for active and limited vitiligo: results of the HI‐Light Vitiligo trial

Thomas, K.S.; Batchelor, J. M.; Akram, P.; Chalmers, J. R.; Haines, RH; Meakin, G. D.; Duley, L.; Ravenscroft, J. C.; Rogers, A.; Sach, T. H.; Santer, M.; Tan, W.; White, J.; Whitton, M. E.; Williams, H. C.; Cheung, S. T.; Hamad, H.; Wright, A.; Ingram, J. R.; Levell, N. J.; Goulding, J. M. R.; Makrygeorgou, A.; Bewley, A.; Ogboli, M.; Stainforth, J.; Ferguson, A.; Laguda, B.; Wahie, S.; Ellis, R.; Azad, J.; Rajasekaran, A.; Eleftheriadou, V.; Montgomery, A. A.

Abstract

Background
Evidence for the effectiveness of vitiligo treatments is limited.

Objectives
To determine effectiveness of (a) hand‐held narrowband‐UVB (NB‐UVB) and (b) combination of potent topical corticosteroid (TCS) and NB‐UVB compared to TCS, for localised vitiligo.

Methods
Pragmatic, 3‐arm, placebo‐controlled RCT (9 months’ treatment; 12 months’ follow‐up). Adults and children, recruited from secondary care and community, aged ≥5 years with active vitiligo affecting 75% expected were more likely to achieve treatment success, but effects were lost once treatment stopped. Localised grade 3 or 4 erythema was reported in 62 (12%) participants (including 3 with dummy light). Skin thinning was reported in 13 (2.5%) participants (including 1 with placebo ointment).

Conclusion
Combination treatment with home‐based hand‐held NB‐UVB plus TCS is likely to be superior to TCS alone for treatment of localised vitiligo. Combination treatment was relatively safe and well tolerated but was only successful in around a quarter of participants.

Citation

Thomas, K., Batchelor, J. M., Akram, P., Chalmers, J. R., Haines, R., Meakin, G. D., Duley, L., Ravenscroft, J. C., Rogers, A., Sach, T. H., Santer, M., Tan, W., White, J., Whitton, M. E., Williams, H. C., Cheung, S. T., Hamad, H., Wright, A., Ingram, J. R., Levell, N. J., …Montgomery, A. A. (2021). Randomised controlled trial of topical corticosteroid and home‐based narrowband UVB for active and limited vitiligo: results of the HI‐Light Vitiligo trial. British Journal of Dermatology, 184(5), 828-839. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjd.19592

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Sep 29, 2020
• Online Publication Date: Oct 2, 2020
• Publication Date: 2021-05
• Deposit Date: Oct 12, 2020
• Publicly Available Date: Oct 3, 2021
• Journal: British Journal of Dermatology
• Print ISSN: 0007-0963
• Electronic ISSN: 1365-2133
• Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 184
• Issue: 5
• Pages: 828-839
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/bjd.19592
• Keywords: Dermatology
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/4959896
• Publisher URL: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/bjd.19592