Oral trimethylpsoralen in the treatment of vitiligo.

One hundred and 18 children with various clinical types of vitiligo, were treated with oral trimethylpsoralen (Trisoralen, P. B. Elder Co.) followed by exposure to sunlight or an artificial ultraviolet radiation source. In 61 of the adult patients, more than 80% of the vitiliginous areas became repigmented, 18 patients re-pigmented 50-80%, 13 repigmented less than 50% and 8 patients failed to repigment at all. In all of the children, more than 80% of the treated vitiliginous patches became repigmented. No side effects were observed. A follow-up study of the retention of the new pigment revealed that 72 adults (out of 76 followed-up) and 10 children (out of 11) without any treatment had retained 95% or more of the new pigment, 18 months after the completion of treatment. Oral trimethylpsoralen is therefore suggested for the treatment of vitiligo.