The treatment(s) by Professor Schallreuter are only available in the UK and Germany.
In the late nineties and early in this millennium, the treatment of choice for many was a promising concept developed by Karin U Schallreuter in Germany and England along with a team of researchers at Bradford University in the UK.
She published a paper entitled “Epidermal H2O2 Accumulation Alters Tetrahydrobiopterin (6BH4) Recycling in Vitiligo: Identi®cation of a General Mechanism in Regulation of All 6BH4-Dependent Processes?”
Dr. Schallreuter’s Website < www.vitiligo.eu.com/home_english.htm >
The full paper is available at < Click Here for complete article >
From the paper…
The topical application of this narrow band (311 nm) ultraviolet B (UVB) activated complex yielded four fundamental clinical results:
- the arrest of an active depigmentation process in 95% of the patients (Schallreuter et al, 1995, 1999);
- the recovery of epidermal cells from intracellular vacuolation (Schallreuter et al, 1999; Tobin et al, 2000);
- a successful repigmentation in 60%±65% of all patients treated so far (n > 700); and
- initiation of repigmentation independent of the duration of the disease (Schallreuter et al, 1995, 1999).
A second paper was published in 2008 entitled…
“From basic research to the bedside: efficacy of topical treatment with pseudocatalase PC-KUS in 71 children with vitiligo.”
From that paper …
AUTHORS: Schallreuter KU, Krüger C, Würfel BA, Panske A, Wood JM.
Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Bradford, Bradford, UK. K.Schallreuter@Bradford.ac.uk
BACKGROUND: The epidermal accumulation of hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) has been documented in vitiligo. AIM: To assess the effect on disease cessation and repigmentation of the reduction/removal of H(2)O(2) using low-dose, narrow-band, ultraviolet-B (UV-B)-activated pseudocatalase PC-KUS in 71 children with vitiligo.
METHODS: This uncontrolled and retrospective study included 45 girls and 26 boys (mean age, 10.3 years) who applied topical PC-KUS twice daily to the entire body surface without narrow-band UV-B dose increments. The affected body areas were documented by special photography at the first visit and after 8-12 months. The response was evaluated by two independent physicians as > 75% vs. < 75% total repigmentation of the face/neck, trunk, extremities, and hands/feet. Generalized (n = 61) and segmental (n = 10) vitiligo were evaluated as different entities. The effect of total-body, low-dose, narrow-band UV-B (0.15 mJ/cm(2)) monotherapy once daily without any increments and without application of PC-KUS was tested over 6 months in 10 children with vitiligo vulgaris (mean age, 8.4 years).
RESULTS: One hundred per cent cessation was observed in 70 of the 71 children. More than 75% repigmentation was achieved in 66 of 71 patients on the face/neck, 48 of 61 on the trunk, and 40 of 55 on the extremities; however, repigmentation on the hands/feet was disappointing (five of 53). The response was independent of skin color, age of onset, duration of disease, other demographic features, and previous treatments. *** The follow-up after narrow-band UV-B monotherapy showed no significant repigmentation in all areas. Seven of 10 patients showed progression of their vitiligo.
CONCLUSION: A reduction in epidermal H(2)O(2) using low-dose, narrow-band UV-B-activated pseudocatalase PC-KUS is an effective treatment for childhood vitiligo which can be safely performed at home.
*** UVGuy’s Note: Monotherapy using a dose of .15 mj per day without Pseudocatalase is not typically prescribed as a treatment for Vitiligo so Professor Schallreuter’s comment saying that “The follow-up after narrow-band UV-B monotherapy showed no significant repigmentation in all areas.” is what I would expect. UVB NB dosages / treatment times are considerably higher when used as a stanalone treatment modality.
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