A comparative study of punch grafting followed by topical corticosteroid versus punch grafting followed by PUVA therapy in stable vitiligo

Background. Punch grafting followed by PUVA is an established therapy for stable vitiligo, but punch grafting followed by topical corticosteroid has never been evaluated. Objective. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of topical corticosteroid in perigraft pigmentation and to compare it with perigraft pigmentation after PUVA in patients with stable vitiligo. Methods. Fifty patients with stable vitiligo of various clinical types were subjected to punch grafting. In a randomized case study, these patients were divided into two groups: One group received post punch-grafting PUVA (group I) and the other group post punch-grafting topical application of fluocinolone acetonide 0.1% (group II). During the follow-up period of 6 months, six patients were lost to follow-up, and two patients were excluded from the study; 42 patients were evaluated for pigment spread and side effects. Results. In group I, the average pigment spread was 6.38 mm, whereas in group II, it was 6.94 mm, showing a slightly higher pigment spread in group II, which was statistically not significant (P=0.301). There was no difference in response to therapy in patients having segmental vitiligo as compared with nonsegmental vitiligo. Cobblestoning, depigmentation of the grafts, infection, and graft displacement were the important side effects seen in some patients in both the groups. Conclusion. The study shows that the pigment spread with topical corticosteroid is comparable to that with PUVA. However, the studies with long-term follow-up are required to establish this. The advantages of topical corticosteroid are that its use is easy, less cumbersome, cheaper, and more cost effective than PUVA.