Efficacy of non-cultured non-trypsinized dermabraded epidermal cell graft followed by narrowband ultraviolet B phototherapy in stable vitiligo.

Objectives: The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and adverse effects of non-cultured, nontrypsinized dermabraded epidermal cell graft followed by narrowband ultraviolet B (NB-UVB) therapy for stable vitiligo.

Material And Methods: A hospital-based and prospective interventional study was carried out on 45 patients (18-65 years) of both genders after approval from the Ethics Committee. The donor site was dermabraded after applying mupirocin ointment, and the material obtained was spread over the dermabraded recipient site. NBUVB phototherapy was initiated 3 weeks after the procedure and given for 3 months. Photographs were taken before the procedure and at the end of 3 month of phototherapy and assessed for extent, pattern, and color matching of repigmented area according to physician global assessment (PGA) score and patient satisfaction score (PSS). Dermoscopic improvement was also noted.

Results: Forty-five patients were enrolled in the study, out of which 43 patients completed the study. According to the intention to treat analysis, results were calculated in all 45 patients. Good to excellent response (50-100% improvement) was seen in 46.7% of patients according to the PGA score and in 57.8% of patients according to PSS. Most patients achieved the same color match with their normal skin at the end of the follow-up (73.3%). The most common repigmentation pattern was diffuse (46.7%), both clinically and dermoscopically. Among the clinical types, vitiligo vulgaris showed the maximum good to excellent repigmentation (61.3% and 77.4% of patients with PGA scores and PSS, respectively). Adverse effects were erythema, infection, and post-inflammatory hyper-pigmentation at the donor and recipient sites, whereas scarring was seen at the recipient site.

Conclusion: It is a safe, simplified, cost-effective, and less time-consuming technique than earlier techniques and provides good to excellent repigmentation in a considerable proportion of participants.