Topical Tofacitinib: A Janus Kinase Inhibitor for the Treatment of Vitiligo in an Adolescent Patient

Sineida Berbert Ferreira; Rachel Berbert Ferreira; Afonso Cesar Neves Neto; Silvana Martins Caparroz Assef; Morton Scheinberg

doi:10.1159/000513938

Topical Tofacitinib: A Janus Kinase Inhibitor for the Treatment of Vitiligo in an Adolescent Patient

Case Rep Dermatol. 2021 Apr 1;13(1):190-194. doi: 10.1159/000513938. eCollection 2021 Jan-Apr.

Authors

Sineida Berbert Ferreira^{1

2}, Rachel Berbert Ferreira^{2

3}, Afonso Cesar Neves Neto³, Silvana Martins Caparroz Assef², Morton Scheinberg^{4

5}

Affiliations

¹ Private Dermatologic Clinic, Maringá, Brazil.
² CEPED - Centro Paranaense de Estudos em Dermatologia, Maringá, Brazil.
³ UNICESUMAR - Centro Universitario de Maringá, Maringá, Brazil.
⁴ Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein - Rheumatology and Orthopedic Division, São Paulo, Brazil.
⁵ Hospital Beneficiência Portuguesa - Center of Autoimmune Disease, São Paulo, Brazil.

Abstract

Vitiligo is an autoimmune skin disease presenting with areas of depigmentation. Recent reports suggest that Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors may be an effective therapy. In this case report, we show our experience with an adolescent patient with a long history of generalized and refractory vitiligo, for which treatment with topical tofacitinib, a JAK inhibitor, associated with phototherapy for 9 months, resulted in near complete repigmentation.

Keywords: Adolescent; JAK inhibitor; Janus kinase inhibitor; Phototherapy; Tofacitinib; Topical tofacitinib; Treatment; Vitiligo.

Publication types

Case Reports