[Oral photochemotherapy in vitiligo (author's transl)]

Abstract

33 patients with vitiligo were treated with total body artificial U.V.A. irradiations and systemic 8-MOP. Hexagonal upstanding light boxes containing 84 fluorescent bulbs were used as sources of U.V.A. Patients were treated for 2 months. Response to psoralen photochemotherapy was evaluated as follows: --excellent: greater than 90 p. 100 repigmentation; --good: 50 p. 100 to 90 p. 100 repigmentation; --fair: less than 50 p. 100 repigmentation; --no repigmentation. Excellent results were obtained in 5 patients (15 p. 100), good results in 9 patients (27 p. 100). 6 of the patients (18 p. 100) showed no response. There was no correlation between: --the age of the patients, --the extent of involvement, --the duration of vitiligo and response to therapy. Artificial U.V.A. sources and systemically administrated 8-MOP is at least as effective as 8-MOP + sunlight exposure.