Resistant Vitiligo Treated with Tofacitinib and Sustained Repigmentation after Discontinuation

Skinmed. 2024 Oct 22;22(5):384-385. eCollection 2024.

Abstract

64-year-old woman with a history of esophageal strictures presented in 2015 for evaluation of progressive depigmented patches that developed over the preceding year. She was prescribed topical steroids with no improvement. Narrow-band ultraviolet B (NB-UVB) and topical tacrolimus were eventually added to the topical steroids accompanying an oral steroid taper. The patient discontinued topical tacrolimus because of irritation. The patient was lost to follow-up for the next 3 years, during which she did not take any treatment and her vitiligo had worsened (Figure 1). At her visit 3 years later, she repeated an oral prednisone taper and restarted mid-potency topical steroid. In January 2020, the patient was approved for and started oral tofacitinib 5 mg twice daily. Consistent improvement was observed on the subsequent visits in March 2020 and November 2020. The only adverse reaction reported by the patient was an increase in furuncles on her pelvis and thighs.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Female
  • Humans
  • Middle Aged
  • Piperidines* / administration & dosage
  • Piperidines* / therapeutic use
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors / administration & dosage
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors / adverse effects
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors / therapeutic use
  • Pyrimidines* / administration & dosage
  • Pyrimidines* / therapeutic use
  • Vitiligo* / drug therapy

Substances

  • tofacitinib
  • Pyrimidines
  • Piperidines
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors