AzTrials
AzTrials

VitiligoNCT06877455

Topical Methotrexate with Fractional CO2 Laser in Treatment of Non Segmental Vitiligo

A study testing Fractional CO2 laser assisted PDT in people with Vitiligo, run by Assiut University.

Not yet recruiting

Opening soon. The study is approved but enrolment has not started yet. Sites may already take enquiries.

Official record
Search all trials

Trial summary

This prospective, within subject clinical trial aims to evaluate the efficacy of combining fractional CO2 laser with topical methotrexate versus topical methotrexate alone in treating non-segmental vitiligo. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Any age
Conditions the study is for
Vitiligo
What is being tested?
Fractional CO2 laser assisted PDT
Type of treatment
Surgery or procedure
Could I receive a placebo?
No, everyone receives an active treatment
How many people
50 participants
Where
No sites listed yet
Study dates
1 May 2026to 30 Dec 2026
Phase
Interventional
Are there results?
Not yet: the study is under way

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages Any age
  • All sexes
  • No healthy volunteers
  • Child, Adult, Older adult

Who may be able to join

  • Participants are patients aged 18-65 with stable non-segmental vitiligo, having comparable lesions on both sides of their body. They must not have received corticosteroid or phototherapy treatments in the last three months and must provide informed consent.

Who cannot join

  • Exclusion criteria include other skin diseases, pregnancy, severe organ dysfunction, compro

About this study

Official title: Efficacy of Topical Methotrexate with Fractional CO2 Laser Versus Topical Methotrexate Alone in Treatment of Non Segmental Vitiligo

This prospective, within subject clinical trial aims to evaluate the efficacy of combining fractional CO2 laser with topical methotrexate versus topical methotrexate alone in treating non-segmental vitiligo. Patients with comparable lesions on both sides of their body will receive both treatments randomly assigned to each side. The study assesses repigmentation, safety, patient satisfaction, and quality of life over six months.

Read the detailed description

The study is a prospective, within subject, self-controlled, randomized clinical trial conducted at the Department of Dermatology, Assiut University. Participants are patients aged 18-65 with stable non-segmental vitiligo, having comparable lesions on both sides of their body. They must not have received corticosteroid or phototherapy treatments in the last three months and must provide informed consent. Exclusion criteria include other skin diseases, pregnancy, severe organ dysfunction, compromised immune function, and skin type 1 with phototherapy allergy.

Intervention and Follow-Up One side of each participant's body will receive fractional CO2 laser combined with methotrexate 1% gel, while the other side will receive topical methotrexate alone, with treatments randomized to avoid bias. The laser therapy consists of four sessions at three-week intervals using specific parameters. Participants will be followed up for six months, with assessments at baseline, during treatment, and post-treatment.

Outcome Measures The primary outcome is the percentage of repigmentation, assessed through standardized digital photographs evaluated by blinded dermatologists. Secondary outcomes include safety evaluation, patient satisfaction, the pattern of repigmentation, the Vitiligo Area Scoring Index (VASI) score, and quality of life measured using a validated questionnaire.

Methods for Evaluation Photographs will be taken under Wood's lamp examination at baseline, before each treatment session, and two months after the final treatment. The efficacy will be evaluated by comparing pre- and post-treatment photographs. Safety and patient satisfaction will be assessed throughout the study period. The study aims to provide evidence on the effectiveness of combining fractional CO2 laser with topical methotrexate for vitiligo treatment.

Conditions
Vitiligo
Being tested
Fractional CO2 laser assisted PDT
Keywords
fractional, co2 laser, vitiligo
Medical subject headings
Vitiligo

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • Fractional CO2 laser assisted PDTProcedure or surgery

    One side of the body will receive fractional CO2 laser combined with methotrexate 1% gel , while the other side will receive topical methotrexate alone (or vice versa, randomized to avoid bias) for 3 months.

    Laser therapy will be performed as 4 sessions of 3 weeks interval using fractional ablative CO2 10,600 nm laser device (Daeshin Enterprise Co., Ltd. Model: Multixel, Seoul, Korea). A single pass will be performed at the following parameters: pulse energy 42-45 mJ, density of 100 spots/cm2 depth level of 1-2 covering an area of 1 cm2 MTX gel will be prepared in the Department of Pharmaceutics at Assiut University Patients will be followed up for total 6 months (e.g., baseline, weeks 3, 6,9,12,15 and post-treatment at months 4 and 6).

Study groups in NCT06877455
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
topical methotrexate with fractional CO2 laser versus topical methotrexate aloneExperimentalOne side of each participant's body will receive fractional CO2 laser combined with methotrexate 1% gel, while the other side will receive topical methotrexate alone,
Receives: Procedure: Fractional CO2 laser assisted PDT

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. percentage of repigmentation

    percentage of repigmentation, assessed through standardized digital photographs evaluated by blinded dermatologists

    Measured: 6months

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted14 Mar 2025
  2. Study start1 May 2026 (estimated)
  3. Primary completion30 Nov 2026 (estimated)
  4. Study completion30 Dec 2026 (estimated)

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase N/A
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Not applicable
Intervention model
Single group
Model description
One side of each participant's body will receive fractional CO2 laser combined with methotrexate 1% gel, while the other side will receive topical methotrexate alone, with treatments randomized to avoid bias. The laser therapy consists of four sessions at three-week intervals using specific parameters. Participants will be followed up for six months, with assessments at baseline, during treatment, and post-treatment.
Masking
None (open label)
Enrolment
50 participants (estimated)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT06877455
Sponsor's protocol ID
fractional laser for vitiligo
Status last verified
Mar 2025
First submitted
10 Mar 2025
Last updated
14 Mar 2025
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
Individual data sharing
No

Publications

  • Abdelmaksoud A, Dave DD, Lotti T, Vestita M. Topical methotrexate 1% gel for treatment of vitiligo: A case report and review of the literature. Dermatol Ther. 2019 Sep;32(5):e13013. doi: 10.1111/dth.13013. Epub 2019 Jul 16.

    PubMed 31265164

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A study testing Fractional CO2 laser assisted PDT in people with Vitiligo, run by Assiut University.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 1 inclusion and 1 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: opening soon, as of the sponsor's last update on 14 Mar 2025. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

Are results available for this study?

This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

percentage of repigmentation (time frame: 6months). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?

On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT06877455, which also lists 1 linked publication.

Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 14 Mar 2025.

Free account

Log in to keep searching

You’ve used your 3 free searches. AzTrials is free: log in or create a free account to keep searching clinical trials and save the ones you want to follow.

Create a free accountLog in