DRUG THERAPY OF HYPOPIGMENTARY DISORDERS OF THE SKIN: A HOSPITAL-BASED STUDY

Objective: To determine the pattern of drug use, adverse events (AEs), and quality of life (QOL) in hypopigmentary disorders of the skin. Methods: A prospective, observational study was conducted on 48 newly diagnosed and untreated participants with hypopigmentary disorders who attended the dermatology outpatient department (OPD) of a tertiary care hospital in Bangalore, India. The pattern of drug therapy and AEs to the therapy were analyzed using descriptive statistics. The dermatology life quality index (DLQI) score for QOL was assessed before and after treatment using analysis of variance (ANOVA). The participants were monitored every 30 d for three months to study the appropriateness and changes in prescription patterns, AEs, and QOL. Results: Male participants had a mean age of 36.69±15.58, while female participants had a mean age of 40.96±11.88. The different classes of drugs used were calcineurin inhibitors, growth factors, melanizing agents, glucocorticoids (GCs), antifungals, and anti-lepra drugs. QOL improved after treatment. The most common AEs include gastritis (16.6%) and acneiform eruption (10.41%). Conclusion: This study has helped in determining the different patterns of drugs used in hypopigmentary disorders and their positive impact on QOL. The individualized prescribing pattern could improve the clinical and psychosocial outcome of the disease in the future.