Our work is entirely funded by private donations – we receive no money from government. Your money will help us continue funding research into vitiligo and supporting people affected by the condition.
Official Title: Contribution of Skin Color in Stabilization of Active Cases of Vitiligo by Narrow Band UVB
In Brief: Vitiligo is a disease in which autoimmunity plays a major role. Multiple treatment options are available, of which narrow-band UVB is a cornerstone, acting through immunosuppression and repigmentation by stimulating reservoir melanocytes. It's expected that this immunsupression is lower in darker skin types, where increased basal melanin might act as a barrier.
Description: Vitiligo is acquired depigmentation disorder. Several theories were hypothesized for causing vitiligo, of which the autoimmune theory is the most accepted. The main targets of therapy are stabilization of the disease activity through immunosuppression, and repigmentation through stimulation of reservoir melanocytes proliferation and migration.
Narrow band ultraviolet phototherapy (NB-UVB) remains the cornerstone treatment of vitiligo. NB-UVB can induce both immunosuppression and repigmentation. Several factors can modulate the efficacy of NB-UVB therapy in treatment of vitiligo cases, including patient's age, lesion site, duration of the disease, and duration of the therapy. The immunosuppressive function of NB-UVB was first detected in 1963 by Hanisko and Suskind, who observed that the contact hypersensitivity response in skin sensitized to dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB) was reduced if skin was previously exposed to suberythemal doses of UVB.
Present evidence suggests that UVB suppress immune system through generation of T-suppressor cells, which inhibit the effector cells of Th1 type. It appears that UV-induced immunosuppression depresses the function of Th1 cells and enhances the activity of Th2 cells via cytokines such as Interleukin 10. It's expected that this immunsupression is lower in darker skin types, where increased basal melanin might act as a barrier. However, skin was previously divided to UVB-resistant and UVB-sensitive (UVB-R and UVB-S) based on the contact hypersensitivity testing, regardless of the skin type. Moreover, A study on NB-UVB phototherapy for psoriasis revealed that photoadaptation during NB-UVB therapy Is Independent of skin type.
Ages Eligible: 6 Years to 60 Years
Start Date: November 1, 2018
Completion Date (estimated): November 2019
Status: Active
Study ID from ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT04030988
Other Study ID Numbers:
Location: Ain Shams University, Cairo, Abbaseya, Egypt, 00202
Contact: To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact Prof. Marwa Abdallah by phone 002 01001166299 or email marwa_abdallah@hotmail.com. Please refer to this study by its NCT number.
FAQOther Questions
- I have a new job - should I tell colleagues about my vitiligo?
If you are starting a new job and you are concerned about stares and questions about your skin, try a proactive approach. When the time is right and you are feeling comfortable,...
- What's better: laser or phototherapy?
In a recent study researchers assessed effect and safety of different laser and phototherapy treatments, such as excimer laser/light, narrowband UVB, UVA and PUVA. No significa...
- How long does it take to treat vitiligo?
Treatment results will vary by person and type of vitiligo. The rule of thumb is that you will need to allow at least 3 to 6 months before you begin to see results from any trea...
Though it is not always easy to treat vitiligo, there is much to be gained by clearly understanding the diagnosis, the future implications, treatment options and their outcomes.
Many people deal with vitiligo while remaining in the public eye, maintaining a positive outlook, and having a successful career.
Copyright (C) Bodolóczki JúliaBy taking a little time to fill in the anonymous questionnaire, you can help researchers better understand and fight vitiligo.