Patients with vitiligo can be safely and effectively treated with topical calcineurin inhibitors with or without phototherapy, say authors of a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Korean researchers analysed data from 46 studies involving nearly 1500 patients to evaluate repigmentation response to treatment with topical calcineurin inhibitors (TCIs).

The primary outcomes were responses that were judged to be at least mild (at least 25%), at least moderate (50%) and marked (75%), they reported in JAMA Dermatology.

For TCI monotherapy given for a median of three months, an “at least mild” response was achieved in 55% of 560 patients; an “at least moderate” response was seen in 38.5% of 619 patients; and a “marked” response in 18.1% of 520 patients.