Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Vitiligo is a common pigmentation disorder of the skin, and its pathogenesis remains unclear. We evaluated the effectiveness of compound glycyrrhizin combined with fractional carbon dioxide (CO(2)) laser and triamcinolone acetonide solution in patients with vitiligo. METHODS: Patients with stable vitiligo treated at our hospital between May 2016 and August 2017 were randomized to a control group or an observation group. Both groups were treated with fractional CO(2) laser and triamcinolone acetonide solution, while the observation group also received compound glycyrrhizin. Clinical effectiveness, serum IL-17 and TGF-β levels, and adverse drug reactions were compared between the groups. RESULTS: Following treatment, the clinical effective rate was significantly higher in the observation group than in the control group (75.00% vs. 52.50%). Furthermore, IL-17 decreased in both groups but was significantly lower in the observation group, while TGF-β increased in both groups but was significantly higher in the observation group. The incidence of adverse drug reactions was not significantly different between the groups. CONCLUSION: Compound glycyrrhizin in combination with fractional CO(2) laser and triamcinolone acetonide solution can be used to treat vitiligo and appears to modulate cytokine levels. Trial registration: Hebei Provincial Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine (no. 2019366; http://www.hebwst.gov.cn/index.do?templet=cs_zyj)