Oral Tranexamic Acid (OTA) is feasible and a useful treatment modality treating melasma in vitiligo patients, suggests a study published in the Dermatologic Therapy.
Melasma and vitiligo are both very common pigmentary disorders and their treatment is quite challenging. Clinically vitiligo is characterised by well-circumscribed, depigmented macules and patches secondary to selective destruction of melanocytes in the skin and mucous membrane, whereas melasma is characterized by symmetrical hyperpigmented macules on the face.Oral tranexamic acid (TA) is effective for refractory melasma; however, the feasibility of Oral tranexamic acid (TA) in vitiligo patients with melasma has not been previously studied. A group of researchers from Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan conducted a study to evaluate the treatment outcomes and adverse effects of Oral tranexamic acid (TA) in vitiligo patients suffering from melasma.
The researchers performed a retrospective analysis of vitiligo patients who received Oral tranexamic acid (TA) for melasma in a tertiary dermatologic centre from January 2017 to August 2020. The authors enrolled a total of 32 patients with concomitant vitiligo and melasma on the face.
The results of the study are as follows:
The mean duration of the improvement of melasma that patients reported is around 1.64 months of treatment.
The first sign of re-pigmentation of the vitiligo lesions occurred at 1 month of treatment.
84.38% of the patients achieved a mild to a good degree of improvement of melasma (0%–75% improvement), whereas 81.25% of the patients achieved a moderate to an excellent degree of improvement of vitiligo (25%–100% improvement) via physician global assessments.
No significant adverse event was noted.
No patients experience vitiligo disease deterioration during Oral tranexamic acid (TA) treatment.
Thus, the researchers concluded that Oral tranexamic acid (TA) may be a feasible option to treat melasma in vitiligo patients.
Reference:
A study titled, "Feasibility of oral tranexamic acid for vitiligo patients with melasma" by Chiang P et. al published in Dermatologic Therapy.
https://doi.org/10.1111/dth.15047