Effect of prolonged treatment with levamisole on vitiligo with limited and slow-spreading disease.

BACKGROUND

For an effective treatment of vitiligo, it is as important to arrest the progression of the disease (if it is still active) as it is to induce repigmentation in existing lesions. In patients having limited and slow-spreading vitiligo, we evaluated the efficacy of levamisole to control the activity of the disease process and to induce repigmentation of the vitiliginous areas.

METHODS

Levamisole was given to 64 patients in an oral dose of 150 mg on two consecutive days every week for periods varying from 4-48 months. In 14 patients levamisole was used alone, in 38 patients it was combined with topical 0.1% fluocinolone acetonide acetate ointment massaged on the lesions once a day, and in 12 patients it was combined with topical 0.05% clobetasol propionate used in the same way. There was no other adjuvant therapy.

RESULTS

In 34 of the 36 patients (94%) having active disease, the progression of the disease could be arrested within 2-4 months. A variable degree of spontaneous repigmentation of the vitiliginous areas was seen in 9 patients (64%) treated with levamisole alone, 33 patients (87%) treated with levamisole and topical fluocinolone, and all the 12 patients treated with levamisole and topical clobetasol. The side effects with levamisole were minimal except in two cases where treatment had to be discontinued. Topical fluocinolone was fairly safe in the Indian patients, but clobetasol frequently produced atrophy and telangiectasia.

CONCLUSIONS

Levamisole seems to be a simple, safe, and fairly effective remedy for controlling the activity of the disease process in vitiligo patients who have limited and slow-spreading disease. Some patients develop spontaneous repigmentation as well. To achieve a faster rate of repigmentation, levamisole can be combined with other treatment methods such as topical corticosteroids.