Arthritis Medication Can Cure Skin Vitiligo
Dermatologists at Yale University have shown that arthritis medication cam cure Vitiligo, a condition that causes skin to lose its color.
A study published in JAMA Dermatology describes the use of the tofacitinib, which belongs to a class of drugs called Janus Kinase Inhibitors. Two months into treatment, the patient, a 53-year old woman, noticed significant improvement on her hands, face and other parts of the body. In six months nearly all the discolored patches had disappeared.
"While it's one case, we anticipated the successful treatment of this patient based on our current understanding of the disease and how the drug works," said Dr. Brett King, principal investigator of the new research.
Though the drug did not cause any side-effects during treatment, the researchers believe further research to ascertain the safety of the drug for clinical prescription, is needed.
The exact cause of vitiligo is unknown though it is considered an autoimmune disorder. The disease can also manifest as a reaction to some chemicals.
"It's a first, and it could revolutionize treatment of an awful disease. This may be a huge step forward in the treatment of patients with this condition," King said adding he hopes to conduct a clinical trial using tofacitinib, or a similar medicine, ruxolitinib, for the treatment of vitiligo.
