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Observation
March 2018

Rapid Repigmentation of Vitiligo Using Tofacitinib Plus Low-Dose, Narrowband UV-B Phototherapy

Author Affiliations
  • 1Department of Dermatology, Yale School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut
JAMA Dermatol. 2018;154(3):370-371. doi:10.1001/jamadermatol.2017.5778

Vitiligo is an autoimmune disease that results in disfiguring white patches of skin. Treatment, including topical corticosteroids, topical calcineurin inhibitors, and narrowband UV-B phototherapy, often has limited efficacy.1 Currently, the only vitiligo treatment approved by the US Food and Drug Administration is monobenzyl ether of hydroquinone (MBEH), which is a depigmenting agent. Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors are a promising class of targeted therapy,1-4 though concomitant low-dose light treatment may be necessary to stimulate melanocytes to achieve repigmentation.5,6 Herein, we describe 2 patients with vitiligo with significant facial involvement treated successfully with tofacitinib, a JAK 1/3 inhibitor, plus low-dose, narrowband UV-B.

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