Efficacy of Red Light in Vitiligo

Vitiligo Clinical Trial

Official title: Efficacy of Red Light in Vitiligo: A Prospective, Single-Blind Randomized Controlled Trial

Status Recruiting

Clinical Trial Summary

Vitiligo is a chronic acquired disease characterized by well defined white macules and patches affecting the skin. There are many treatment modalities available for vitiligo, however, none of them cure the disease. Visible red light has been shown to stimulates melanocyte migration and proliferation resulting in repigmentation of vitiligo patches. However, there are only a few studies published on the efficacy of red light in vitiligo. This is a prospective single-blind randomized clinical trial to assess efficacy of red light in the treatment of vitiligo.

Clinical Trial Description

Vitiligo is a chronic acquired disease characterized by well defined white macules and patches affecting the skin and mucous membranes. Mucocutaneous lesions develop secondary to selective destruction of melanocytes. The etiology of vitiligo is largely unknown but more likely to be multifactorial. There are several theories on the pathogenesis of vitiligo including mainly the autoimmune, neurohormonal, and autocytotoxic theories. The autoimmune hypothesis has the strongest evidence with alteration mainly in the cellular immune response.

There are many treatment modalities available for vitiligo, however, none of them cure the disease. These include different topical treatments, phototherapy, surgical therapy, and depigmentation therapy. Visible red light has been shown to stimulates melanocyte migration and proliferation resulting in repigmentation of vitiligo patches. However, there are only a few studies published on the efficacy of red light in vitiligo. The investigators plan on conducting a prospective single-blind randomized clinical trial to assess efficacy of red light in the treatment of vitiligo.

Study Objective To evaluate the potential for red light to induce repigmentation within vitiligo patches. ;

Study Design

Allocation: Randomized, Endpoint Classification: Efficacy Study, Intervention Model: Single Group Assignment, Masking: Single Blind (Outcomes Assessor), Primary Purpose: Treatment

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Vitiligo

• NCT number: NCT01787708
• Study type: Interventional
• Source: University of British Columbia
• Contact: Harvey Lui, MD, FRCPC
• Phone: 16048754111
• Email: harvey.lui@ubc.ca
• Status: Recruiting
• Phase: Phase 2
• Start date: February 2013