Repigmentation in vitiligo: position paper of the Vitiligo Global Issues Consensus Conference

Computer-Aided Assessment of Repigmentation Rates in Vitiligo Patients: Implications for Treatment Efficacy - A Retrospective Study

Precise evaluation of repigmentation in vitiligo patients is crucial for monitoring treatment efficacy and enhancing patient satisfaction. This study aimed to develop a computer-aided system for assessing repigmentation rates in vitiligo patients, providing valuable insights for clinical practice. A retrospective study was conducted at the Dermatology Department of Shenzhen People's Hospital between June 2019 and November 2022. Pre- and post-treatment images of vitiligo lesions under Wood's lamp were collected, involving 833 participants stratified by sex, age, and pigmentation patterns. Our results demonstrated that the marginal pigmentation pattern exhibited a higher repigmentation rate of 72% compared with the central non-follicular pattern at 45%. Males had a slightly higher average repigmentation rate of 0.37 in comparison to females at 0.33. Among age groups, individuals aged 0-20 years showed the highest average repigmentation rate at 0.41, while the oldest age group (61-80 years) displayed the lowest rate at 0.25. Analysis of multiple visits identified the marginal pattern as the most prevalent (60%), with a mean repigmentation rate of 40%. This study introduced a computational system for evaluating vitiligo repigmentation rates, enhancing our comprehension of patient responses, and ultimately contributing to enhanced clinical care.

Intelligent Diagnosis of Hypopigmented Dermatoses and Intelligent Evaluation of Vitiligo Severity on the Basis of Deep Learning

INTRODUCTION

There is a lack of objective, accurate, and convenient methods for classification diagnostic hypopigmented dermatoses (HD) and severity evaluation of vitiligo. To achieve an accurate and intelligent classification diagnostic model of HD and severity evaluation model of vitiligo using a deep learning-based method.

METHODS

A total of 11,483 images from 4744 patients with HD were included in this study. An optimal diagnostic model was constructed by merging the squeeze-and-excitation (SE) module with the candidate model, its diagnostic efficiency was compared with that of 98 dermatologists. An objective severity evaluation indicator was proposed through weighting method and combined with a segmentation model to form a severity evaluation model, which was then compared with the assessments conducted by three experienced dermatologists using the naked eye.

RESULTS

The improved diagnosis model SE_ResNet-18 outperformed the other 11 classic models with an accuracy of 0.9389, macro-specificity of 0.9878, and macro-f1 score of 0.9395, and outperformed the different categories of 98 dermatologists (P < 0.001). The weighted Kappa test indicated medium consistency between the Indicatorv and the VASIchange (K = 0.567, P < 0.05). The optimal segmented model, HR-Net, had 0.8421 mIOU. The model-based severity evaluation results were not significantly different among the three experienced dermatologists.

CONCLUSIONS

This study proposes an objective, accurate, and convenient hybrid model for diagnosing HD and evaluating the severity of vitiligo, providing a method for dermatologists especially in grassroots hospitals, and provides a foundation for telemedicine.

Dermoscopy in vitiligo, diagnostic clues and markers of disease activity: a review of the literature

Dermoscopy is a noninvasive, efficient and inexpensive tool used to aid diagnosis of skin conditions such as vitiligo. Furthermore, it aids in tracking patient progress, treatment response and disease activity. Vitiligo can be diagnosed on dermoscopy by the presence of white structureless areas signifying hypopigmentation with a typical glowing appearance. Other typical features are perilesional and perifollicular hyperpigmentation, pigmentation networks and leucotrichia. In total, 15 studies were reviewed to determine the dermoscopic signs of the three main stages of disease activity: active, stable and repigmenting vitiligo. Features that differentiate active, stable and repigmenting vitiligo are reviewed and discussed in this article. Notably, there is a conflict in the literature between various dermoscopic features and which type of vitiligo they are truly indicative of. However, dermoscopy can be coupled with other clinical, biological and physiological markers to strengthen diagnostic accuracy.

A meta-analysis of the placebo response in vitiligo: Causes and consequences for the interpretation of clinical trials

The current understanding of the placebo response in vitiligo is limited. Nonetheless, it is difficult to compare the outcomes of vitiligo trials if the repigmentation rates in placebo patients vary significantly. We conducted a meta-analysis of the placebo response in vitiligo trials. Overall, repigmentation rates in patients receiving placebo were 22%, ranging substantially from 0 to 60%. Repigmentation (>25%) was still relatively common for placebo (9.35%), but fell to 5% when >50% improvement was analyzed. Higher frequencies of placebo responses correlated with more repigmentation in the intervention groups. Facial vitiligo and sunlight exposure was linked to higher placebo responses. Roughly estimating the amount of improvement using quartiles (0-25, 25%-50%, 50%-75%, 75%-100% repigmentation) resulted in higher placebo rates compared to other assessment methods. In clinical studies with older patients, the ratio of placebo reactions to treatment responses was higher. This is likely because clinical trials with older patients reported less repigmentation after treatment than studies with younger patients. The percentual difference in affected body surface area during the study period ranged from 6.2% worsening to 17.6% improvement in the placebo groups. This high variability in placebo responses illustrates the need for standardized outcome measures and more head-to-head trials in vitiligo.

Worldwide expert recommendations for the diagnosis and management of vitiligo: Position statement from the International Vitiligo Task Force Part 1: towards a new management algorithm

BACKGROUND

The treatment of vitiligo can be challenging and depends on several factors such as the subtype, disease activity, vitiligo extent, and treatment goals. Vitiligo usually requires a long-term approach. To improve the management of vitiligo worldwide, a clear and up-to-date guide based on international consensus with uniform stepwise recommendations is needed.

OBJECTIVES

To reach an international consensus on the nomenclature and to develop a management algorithm for the diagnosis, assessment, and treatment of vitiligo.

METHODS

In this consensus statement, a consortium of 42 international vitiligo experts and four patient representatives participated in online and live meetings to develop a consensus management strategy for vitiligo. At least two vitiligo experts summarized the evidence of topics included in the algorithms. A survey was utilized to resolve remaining issues among a core group of eight experts. Subsequently, the unanimous recommendations were finalized and validated based on further input from the entire group during two live meetings.

RESULTS

The algorithms highlight the importance of shared decision-making. Dermatologists are encouraged to provide patients with detailed explanations of the prognosis and expected therapeutic outcomes based on clinical examination. The treatment goal should be discussed and clearly emphasized to patients given the different approaches for disease stabilization and repigmentation. The evaluation of disease activity remains a cornerstone in the tailor-made approach to vitiligo patients.

CONCLUSIONS

These new treatment algorithms are intended to guide clinical decision-making in clinical practice. Promising novel therapies for vitiligo are on the horizon, further highlighting the need for reliable outcome measurement instruments and greater emphasis on shared decision-making.

Worldwide expert recommendations for the diagnosis and management of vitiligo: Position statement from the international Vitiligo Task Force-Part 2: Specific treatment recommendations

BACKGROUND

The treatment of vitiligo can be challenging. Up-to-date agreed consensus recommendations on the use of topical and systemic therapies to facilitate the clinical management of vitiligo are currently lacking.

OBJECTIVES

To develop internationally agreed-upon expert-based recommendations for the treatment of vitiligo.

METHODS

In this consensus statement, a consortium of 42 international vitiligo experts and four patient representatives participated in different online and live meetings to develop a consensus management strategy for vitiligo. At least two vitiligo experts summarized the evidence for different topics included in the algorithms. A survey was then given to a core group of eight experts to resolve the remaining issues. Subsequently, the recommendations were finalized and validated based on further input from the entire group during two live meetings.

RESULTS

The recommendations provided summarize the latest evidence regarding the use of topical therapies (steroids, calcineurin inhibitors and Jak-inhibitors) and systemic therapies, including steroids and other systemic immunomodulating or antioxidant agents. The different modalities of phototherapies (NB-UVB, photochemotherapy, excimer devices and home phototherapy), which are often combined with other therapies, are also summarized. Interventional approaches as well as depigmentation strategies are presented for specific indications. Finally, the status of innovative and targeted therapies under development is discussed.

CONCLUSIONS

This international consensus statement culminated in expert-based clinical practice recommendations for the treatment of vitiligo. The development of new therapies is ongoing in vitiligo, and this will likely improve the future management of vitiligo, a disease that still has many unmet needs.

Non-invasive Imaging Techniques for Monitoring Cellular Response to Treatment in Stable Vitiligo

Punch grafting procedures, where small pieces of normal skin are transplanted into stable vitiligo patches, results in repigmentation in only half of patients treated, yet the factors that determine whether a patient responds to treatment or not are still unknown. Reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM) is adept at visualizing melanocyte migration and epidermal changes over large areas while multiphoton microscopy (MPM) can capture metabolic changes in keratinocytes. With the overall goal of identifying optical biomarkers for early treatment response, we followed 12 vitiligo lesions undergoing punch grafting. Dendritic melanocytes adjacent to the graft site were observed before clinical evidence of repigmentation in treatment responsive patients but not in treatment non-responsive patients, suggesting that the early visualization of melanocytes is indicative of a therapeutic response. Keratinocyte metabolic changes in vitiligo skin adjacent to the graft site also correlated with treatment response, indicating that a keratinocyte microenvironment that more closely resembles normal skin is more hospitable for migrating melanocytes. Taken together, these studies suggest that successful melanocyte transplantation requires both the introduction of new melanocytes and modulation of the local tissue microenvironment.

Has the core outcome (domain) set for vitiligo been implemented? An updated systematic review on outcomes and outcome measures in vitiligo randomized clinical trials

BACKGROUND

In 2015, a major achievement in vitiligo research was the development of an internationally agreed upon core outcome domain set for randomized clinical trials (RCTs). Three outcomes were identified as being essential: repigmentation, side-effects/harms and maintenance of gained repigmentation. Four items were further recommended for inclusion. The following recommendations then followed: repigmentation should be assessed by measuring the percentage of repigmentation in quartiles (0-25%, 26-50%, 51-79%, 80-100%) and cosmetic acceptability of the results should be assessed using the Vitiligo Noticeability Scale.

OBJECTIVES

The primary objective of this study was to assess uptake of the core outcome domain set for RCTs in vitiligo. Secondary objectives were to update the systematic review on outcomes reported in vitiligo RCTs, and to assess whether repigmentation and cosmetic acceptability of the results were measured using the above-mentioned recommended scales.

METHODS

We searched PubMed, Cochrane Library (CENTRAL and Systematic Reviews) and ClinicalTrials.gov for vitiligo RCTs between November 2009 and March 2021. Screening and data extraction were independently performed on title and summary by two researchers. All outcomes and outcome measures reported in eligible RCTs were retrieved and collated.

RESULTS

In total, 174 RCTs were identified: 62 were published between 2009 and 2015, and 112 were published between 2016 and 2021.Thirty-eight different outcomes were reported. Repigmentation was the primary outcome in 89% of trials (150 of 169). Forty-nine different tools were used to measure repigmentation. Side-effects and harms were reported in 78% of trials (136 of 174). Maintenance of gained repigmentation was reported in only 11% of trials (20 of 174) and duration of follow-up varied greatly from 1 to 14 months. Cosmetic acceptability of the results and cessation of disease activity were assessed in only 2% of trials (four of 174). Quality of life of patients with vitiligo was assessed in 13% of trials (22 of 174). Finally, only 11 of 112 RCTs (10%) published between 2016 and 2021 reported all three essential core outcome domains (repigmentation, side-effects and maintenance of gained repigmentation) and none of the trials reported both essential and recommended core outcome domains.

CONCLUSIONS

Efforts are still needed to close the gap between set recommendations and RCT outcome reporting.

Two Phase 3, Randomized, Controlled Trials of Ruxolitinib Cream for Vitiligo

BACKGROUND

Vitiligo is a chronic autoimmune disease that causes skin depigmentation. A cream formulation of ruxolitinib (an inhibitor of Janus kinase 1 and 2) resulted in repigmentation in a phase 2 trial involving adults with vitiligo.

METHODS

We conducted two phase 3, double-blind, vehicle-controlled trials (Topical Ruxolitinib Evaluation in Vitiligo Study 1 [TRuE-V1] and 2 [TRuE-V2]) in North America and Europe that involved patients 12 years of age or older who had nonsegmental vitiligo with depigmentation covering 10% or less of total body-surface area. Patients were randomly assigned in a 2:1 ratio to apply 1.5% ruxolitinib cream or vehicle control twice daily for 24 weeks to all vitiligo areas on the face and body, after which all patients could apply 1.5% ruxolitinib cream through week 52. The primary end point was a decrease (improvement) of at least 75% from baseline in the facial Vitiligo Area Scoring Index (F-VASI; range, 0 to 3, with higher scores indicating a greater area of facial depigmentation), or F-VASI75 response, at week 24. There were five key secondary end points, including improved responses on the Vitiligo Noticeability Scale.

RESULTS

A total of 674 patients were enrolled, 330 in TRuE-V1 and 344 in TRuE-V2. In TRuE-V1, the percentage of patients with an F-VASI75 response at week 24 was 29.8% in the ruxolitinib-cream group and 7.4% in the vehicle group (relative risk, 4.0; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.9 to 8.4; P<0.001). In TRuE-V2, the percentages were 30.9% and 11.4%, respectively (relative risk, 2.7; 95% CI, 1.5 to 4.9; P<0.001). The results for key secondary end points showed superiority of ruxolitinib cream over vehicle control. Among patients who applied ruxolitinib cream throughout 52 weeks, adverse events occurred in 54.8% in TRuE-V1 and 62.3% in TRuE-V2; the most common adverse events were application-site acne (6.3% and 6.6%, respectively), nasopharyngitis (5.4% and 6.1%), and application-site pruritus (5.4% and 5.3%).

CONCLUSIONS

In two phase 3 trials, application of ruxolitinib cream resulted in greater repigmentation of vitiligo lesions than vehicle control through 52 weeks, but it was associated with acne and pruritus at the application site. Larger and longer trials are required to determine the effect and safety of ruxolitinib cream in patients with vitiligo. (Funded by Incyte; TRuE-V1 and TRuE-V2 ClinicalTrials.gov numbers, NCT04052425 and NCT04057573.).

The effectiveness of home-based phototherapy for vitiligo: A systematic review of randomised controlled trials

BACKGROUND

Vitiligo may be treated with hospital-based phototherapy, but this requires long-term frequent appointments. Self-treatment using home-based phototherapy is a convenient alternative, which may improve adherence and results, but evidence is limited, and so it is not routinely recommended. This systematic review aims to assess the effectiveness and safety of home-based phototherapy for vitiligo.

METHODOLOGY

Searches were conducted on Medline, Scopus and The Cochrane Library for randomised controlled trials comparing home-based phototherapy with institution-based phototherapy or placebo/no phototherapy for vitiligo. The primary outcome was treatment effectiveness. CASP criteria were used for quality assessment. Data were synthesised in a meta-analysis where appropriate.

RESULTS

Three studies (195 participants) were included: two compared home-based with institution-based phototherapy, and one compared home-based phototherapy with placebo. Studies were of mixed quality. Therapy regimes varied across studies. Findings on effectiveness were contradictory across studies with variable rates of repigmentation. There was no significant difference in repigmentation rates between the groups, although adherence to treatment schedules was significantly better in home-based groups. Adverse effects were significantly higher in home-based groups. No long-term data were reported on maintenance of treatment benefits.

CONCLUSIONS

Although adherence to treatment was significantly better with home-based phototherapy, data were insufficient to form conclusions on effectiveness. Home-based phototherapy had a significantly higher risk of adverse effects, making it difficult to recommend in clinical practice. However, as it offers logistical advantages for patients, its effectiveness alongside additional safety measures should be explored further in large-scale, good-quality RCTs, with standardised outcome measures, including patient-reported outcomes.

Meaningful Changes in What Matters to Individuals with Vitiligo: Content Validity and Meaningful Change Thresholds of the Vitiligo Area Scoring Index (VASI)

INTRODUCTION

This study explored patients' and dermatologists' priority outcomes for treatment to address, clinical outcome assessments (COA) for use in vitiligo clinical trials, and perceptions of within-patient meaningful change in facial and total body vitiligo.

METHODS

Semistructured, individual, qualitative interviews were conducted with patients living with non-segmental vitiligo in the USA and with expert dermatologists in vitiligo. Concept elicitation discussions included open-ended questions to identify patient priority outcomes. Vitiligo COAs were reviewed by dermatologists. Tasks were completed by patients to explore their perceptions of meaningful changes in vitiligo outcomes; dermatologists' opinions were elicited. Data were analyzed using thematic methods; meaningful change tasks were descriptively summarized.

RESULTS

Individuals with vitiligo (N = 60) included adults (n = 48, 63% female) and adolescents (n = 12, 67% female). All Fitzpatrick Skin Types were represented. Eight (13%) were first- or second-generation immigrants to the USA. Expert dermatologists (N = 14) participated from the USA (n = 8), EU (n = 4), India (n = 1), and Egypt (n = 1). All individuals with vitiligo reported experiencing skin depigmentation; an observable clinical sign of vitiligo. Most confirmed that lesion surface area (n = 59/60, 98%) and level of pigmentation (n = 53/60, 88%) were important to include in disease assessments. Following an explanation, participants (n = 49/60, 82%) felt that the Facial Vitiligo Area Scoring Index (F-VASI) measurement generally made sense and understood that doctors would use it to assess facial vitiligo. Most participants felt that a 75% (n = 47/59, 80%) or 9 0% improvement in their facial vitiligo would be indicative of treatment success (n = 55/59, 93%). In the context of evaluating a systemic oral treatment for vitiligo, dermatologists perceived a 75% improvement on the F-VASI as successful (n = 9/14, 64%). Regarding the Total VASI (T-VASI) score, n = 30 participants considered 33% improvement as treatment success; an additional n = 10 endorsed 50% improvement and a further n = 5 endorsed 75% improvement. Clinicians most frequently identified 50% (n = 6/14, 43%) or 75% (n = 4/14, 29%) improvement in T-VASI as successful.

CONCLUSION

Repigmentation is a priority outcome for patients. The VASI was considered an appropriate tool to assess the extent of vitiligo. A minimum 75% improvement from baseline in the F-VASI and minimum 50% improvement from baseline in the T-VASI were identified as within-patient clinically meaningful thresholds.

Repigmentation in two patients with vitiligo on AcEGCG 0.5% cream

Per-acetylated epigallocatechin-3-gallate (AcEGCG), a fully acetylated derivative of EGCG, a more potent agent for protection of melanocytes from oxidative damage. We present two patients with vitiligo treated with AcEGCG 0.5% cream, who demonstrated skin repigmentation and control of depigmentation progression.

Early localized vitiligo, a medical emergency: Long-term follow-up study

In spite of multiple therapeutic regimens for vitiligo, disease relapse remains a challenge. Most guidelines consider systemic treatments only in rapidly progressive disease with wider surface areas. This delay in halting the immune attack, may give the chance for further disease progression as well as establishment of resident memory T-cell population predisposing to future relapses. To assess the ability of early systemic therapy of localized (<2% BSA), recent onset (<6 months) vitiligo to control disease activity and minimize the possibility of recurrence. Twenty-five patients with recent onset (<6 months), localized (<2% BSA) vitiligo were included. Patients received pulse dexamethasone therapy for 6 months plus topical treatments and NB-UVB sessions. Patients were followed monthly as regards percent of repigmentation and VIDA score. To detect recurrence, biannual assessment was done for 4 years. Eighty-four percent of patients had acrofacial lesions and 44% had facial lesions. Arrest of activity was achieved after 3.65 ± 2.19 months. Complete repigmentation was achieved in a mean duration of 6.88 ± 0.2 months. At the end of the 4-year follow up, recurrence occurred in 32% of patients. In spite of recurrence, localized disease (<2% BSA) was secured. A significantly higher incidence of recurrence was associated with cases with bilateral distribution of lesions. Early systemic immunomodulation for recent localized vitiligo is a successful approach to achieve early control of disease activity and minimize the incidence of recurrence. Such cases should not be overlooked but managed as early as possible; it is a race against time.

Topical epigallocatechin-3-gallate in the treatment of vitiligo

OBJECTIVE

To preliminarily assess the efficacy and safety of the topical application of Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) in treating vitiligo, a 6-month clinical trial was carried out.

METHOD

Patients were randomly given topical application of EGCG on the assigned lesions, with pimecrolimus being used as the control for twice a day over a 6-month treatment period. Responses to treatment were assessed based on the changes in VASI score for percentage reduction in body surface area and the PGA scores.

RESULTS

According to our results, both drugs were discovered to be markedly effective on repigmentation. The VASI of lesion had diminished from 1.19 ± 0.42 to 0.63 ± 0.38, in the EGCG-treated lesions, while from 1.18 ± 0.43 to 0.61 ± 0.36 in the pimecrolimus-treated lesions, and there was no statistically significant difference in VASI score between the EGCG-treated lesions and pimecrolimus-treated lesions (P = 0.755). Meanwhile, the mean PGA score on the EGCG applied side was 4.39 ± 2.23, while that was 4.43 ± 2.02 on the pimecrolimus applied side (P = 0.886). Furthermore, difference in the improvement degree between pimecrolimus side and EGCG side was not statistically significant (P = 0.845). Notably, no serious side effects were observed throughout the study.

CONCLUSION

Findings of the study indicate that topical EGCG can be effective on treating vitiligo.

Rhododendrol-induced leukoderma update II: Pathophysiology, mechanisms, risk evaluation, and possible mechanism-based treatments in comparison with vitiligo

A small proportion of individuals utilizing cosmetics containing rhododendrol developed leukoderma with various pathological conditions, in some cases indistinguishable from vitiligo. In this review, we investigate and evaluate the major considerations for developing rhododendrol‐induced leukoderma based on data from original or review articles published in the literature to provide a wide range of information regarding the pathophysiology, mechanisms, risk evaluation, and possible mechanism‐based treatments. We compile and discuss the latest information, including data related to the cytotoxicity of rhododendrol, cytoprotective functions, and involvement of the immune system, and consider the possibility of novel treatments based on the differences between individual patients and on the mechanism underlying the onset of the condition. Understanding the pathophysiology of rhododendrol‐induced leukoderma helps not only elucidate the mechanisms of non‐segmental vitiligo onset and progression, but also suggests prevention and treatment.

Oral mini-pulse therapy in vitiligo: a systematic review

BACKGROUND

There is limited evidence supporting the use of alternative treatments for patients with nonstable vitiligo.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to review the effects of oral mini-pulse (OMP) therapy in the management of nonsegmental vitiligo.

METHODS

The following databases were searched between inception and May 2020 for relevant studies: Scopus, Web of Science, MEDLINE, and Embase. All randomized controlled trials that compared OMP therapy with any other active treatment or placebo for nonstable vitiligo were included. The Cochrane's risk of bias tool was used to evaluate the risk of bias (ROB) in selected studies, and the overall quality of evidence of each outcome was assessed using the Grading Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluations (GRADE) system.

RESULTS

Four studies met our selection criteria. All of them were conducted in India and included 246 patients. OMP therapy included betamethasone or dexamethasone. The duration of treatment was 6 months in all studies. Up to 32% of patients achieved a repigmentation rate of >75% when OMP therapy was administered as monotherapy. No difference was observed between OMP therapy and other treatments in arresting the disease, and weight gain was the most frequent adverse effect. The overall ROB in all included studies was relatively high because of the randomization process, outcome measurement and informed selection of outcomes.

CONCLUSION

Based on the findings of these studies, OMP therapy did not demonstrate additional value compared with other treatments. Hence, there is an urgent need to conduct high-quality clinical trials to evaluate this therapy.

Vitiligo Skin Biomarkers Associated With Favorable Therapeutic Response

Vitiligo is an acquired depigmentation skin disease caused by immune-mediated death of melanocytes. The most common treatment for vitiligo is narrow band ultraviolet B phototherapy, which often is combined with topical therapies such as tacrolimus. However, patients' responses to these treatments show large variations. To date, the mechanism for this heterogeneity is unknown, and there are no molecular indicators that can predict an individual patient's response to therapy. The goal of this study is to identify clinical parameters and gene expression biomarkers associated with vitiligo response to therapy. Six patients with segmental vitiligo and 30 patients with non-segmental vitiligo underwent transcriptome sequencing of lesional and nonlesional skin at baseline before receiving combined UBUVB and tacrolimus therapy for 6 month, and were separated into good response and bad response groups based on target lesion achieving > 10% repigmentation or not. Our study revealed that treatment-responsive vitiligo lesions had significantly shorter disease duration compared with non-responsive vitiligo lesions (2.5 years vs 11.5 years, p=0.046, t-Test), while showing no significant differences in the age, gender, ethnicity, vitiligo subtype, or disease severity. Transcriptomic analyses identified a panel of 68 genes separating the good response from bad response lesions including upregulation of immune active genes, such as CXCL10, FCRL3, and TCR, Further, compared with vitiligo lesions with long disease duration, the lesions with short duration also have much higher level of expression of immune-active genes, including some (such as FCRL3 and TCR genes) that are associated with favorable therapeutic response. In conclusion, our study has identified clinical parameters such as short disease duration and a panel of immune active and other gene expression biomarkers that are associated with favorable response to immune suppressive NBUVB + tacrolimus therapy. These markers may be useful clinically for individualized therapeutic management of vitiligo patients in the future.

Reliability and validity of the Vitiligo Signs of Activity Score (VSAS)

Background

The associations between disease activity and several clinical signs in vitiligo have been described, but a widely accepted and validated scoring system is lacking.

Objectives

To validate the Vitiligo Signs of Activity Score (VSAS) for physicians.

Methods

Three visible clinical signs were scored on 15 body locations: confetti‐like depigmentation (c), Koebner phenomenon (k) and hypochromic areas/borders (h). The inter‐ and intrarater reliability of the global VSAS and VSAS subscores (c‐VSAS, k‐VSAS and h‐VSAS) were tested by four and three raters (physicians), respectively. Construct validity and feasibility were evaluated.

Results

The VSAS demonstrated good inter‐rater reliability, with an intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) of 0·87 in the first round and 0·90 in the second round. The intrarater reliability ICCs were all ≥ 0·86. The inter‐rater reliabilities of the subscores were excellent for c‐VSAS and fair for k‐VSAS and h‐VSAS (ICC 0·83, 0·51 and 0·53, respectively, in the first round). Evidence for construct validity was provided. The completion time by the raters (median 2·18 min per patient) improved during the second round (median 1·33 min per patient). A limitation of the study is the low number of patients, mainly of skin phototypes II–III, from a single tertiary centre.

Conclusions

The VSAS appears to be a valid and reliable instrument to score visible clinical signs linked to disease activity in a standardized way.

What is already known about this topic?

Evidence exists for a possible link between several visible clinical signs in vitiligo and disease activity.

A widely accepted and validated scoring system to quantify these clinical signs is lacking.

What does this study add?

The Vitiligo Signs of Activity Score (VSAS) underwent preliminary validation and may assist quantification of visible clinical signs linked to disease activity in a standardized way in clinical practice and trials.

What are the clinical implications of this work?

VSAS may be used for future trials that aim to establish the clinical significance of the specific visible clinical signs in vitiligo in a more controlled setting.

Linked Comment:Eleftheriadou. Br J Dermatol 2020; 183:801–802.

What is already known about this topic?

Evidence exists for a possible link between several visible clinical signs in vitiligo and disease activity.

A widely accepted and validated scoring system to quantify these clinical signs is lacking.

What does this study add?

The Vitiligo Signs of Activity Score (VSAS) underwent preliminary validation and may assist quantification of visible clinical signs linked to disease activity in a standardized way in clinical practice and trials.

What are the clinical implications of this work?

VSAS may be used for future trials that aim to establish the clinical significance of the specific visible clinical signs in vitiligo in a more controlled setting.

Linked Comment:Eleftheriadou. Br J Dermatol 2020; 183:801–802.

Vitiligo: A Review

Vitiligo, a common depigmenting skin disorder, has an estimated prevalence of 0.5–2% of the population worldwide. The disease is characterized by the selective loss of melanocytes which results in typical nonscaly, chalky-white macules. In recent years, considerable progress has been made in our understanding of the pathogenesis of vitiligo which is now clearly classified as an autoimmune disease. Vitiligo is often dismissed as a cosmetic problem, although its effects can be psychologically devastating, often with a considerable burden on daily life. In 2011, an international consensus classified segmental vitiligo separately from all other forms of vitiligo, and the term vitiligo was defined to designate all forms of nonsegmental vitiligo. This review summarizes the current knowledge on vitiligo and attempts to give an overview of the future in vitiligo treatment.

Vitiligo as a skin memory disease: The need for early intervention with immunomodulating agents and a maintenance therapy to target resident memory T cells

The understanding of the immune mechanisms of vitiligo has profoundly improved over the past years. The recent discovery of a new population of antigen-experienced memory T cells called resident memory T cells (T_RM ) has changed the concept of immune surveillance in peripheral tissue as skin, and the presence of melanocyte-specific T_RM is clearly demonstrated in vitiligo, a disease that could be now seen such as a memory skin disease. This review summarizes the recent knowledge on skin T_RM and their role in vitiligo. Future management or therapies for this disease will have the goal to block their migration/differentiation, to dampen their activation and/or their accumulation in the vitiligo skin to prevent flare-up or to promote repigmentation.

International Initiative for Outcomes (INFO) for vitiligo: workshops with patients with vitiligo on repigmentation

BACKGROUND

There is no cure or firm clinical recommendations for the treatment of vitiligo. One of the main issues is the heterogeneity of outcome measures used in randomized controlled trials for vitiligo.

OBJECTIVES

To define successful repigmentation from the patients' point of view and to propose how and when repigmentation should be evaluated in clinical trials in vitiligo.

METHODS

We conducted three workshops with patients with vitiligo and their parents or caregivers. Workshop 1 was held at World Vitiligo Day (Detroit, MI), workshop 2 at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center and workshop 3 at the Vitiligo and Pigmentation Institute of Southern California, University of California.

RESULTS

Seventy-three participants were recruited. Consensus on the following questions was achieved unanimously: (i) the definition of 'successful repigmentation' was 80-100% of repigmentation of a target lesion and (ii) both an objective and a subjective scale to measure repigmentation should be used.

CONCLUSIONS

This was the largest patients' outcomes workshop. We followed the guidance from the CSG-COUSIN and the Vitiligo Global Issues Consensus Group. Our recommendations to use percentage of repigmentation quartiles (0-25%, 26-50%, 51-79%, 80-100%) and the Vitiligo Noticeability Scale are based on the best available current evidence. A limitation of the research is that the workshops were conducted only in the U.S.A., due to pre-existing organisational support and the availability of funding.

Vitiligo: Focus on Clinical Aspects, Immunopathogenesis, and Therapy

Vitiligo is an acquired chronic depigmenting disorder of the skin, with an estimated prevalence of 0.5% of the general population, characterized by the development of white macules resulting from a loss of epidermal melanocytes. The nomenclature has been revised after an extensive international work within the vitiligo global issues consensus conference, and vitiligo (formerly non-segmental vitiligo) is now a consensus umbrella term for all forms of generalized vitiligo. Two other subsets of vitiligo are segmental vitiligo and unclassified/undetermined vitiligo, which corresponds to focal disease and rare variants. A series of hypopigmented disorders may masquerade as vitiligo, and some of them need to be ruled out by specific procedures including a skin biopsy. Multiple mechanisms are involved in melanocyte disappearance, namely genetic predisposition, environmental triggers, metabolic abnormalities, impaired renewal, and altered inflammatory and immune responses. The auto-immune/inflammatory theory is the leading hypothesis because (1) vitiligo is often associated with autoimmune diseases; (2) most vitiligo susceptibility loci identified through genome-wide association studies encode immunomodulatory proteins; and (3) prominent immune cell infiltrates are found in the perilesional margin of actively depigmenting skin. However, other studies support melanocyte intrinsic abnormalities with poor adaptation of melanocytes to stressors leading to melanocyte instability in the basal layer, and release of danger signals important for the activation of the immune system. Recent progress in the understanding of immune pathomechanisms opens interesting perspectives for innovative treatment strategies. The proof of concept in humans of targeting of the IFNγ /Th1 pathway is much awaited. The interplay between oxidative stress and altered immune responses suggests that additional strategies aiming at limiting type I interferon activation pathway as background stabilizing therapies could be an interesting approach in vitiligo. This review covers classification and clinical aspects, pathophysiology with emphasis on immunopathogenesis, and promising therapeutic approaches.

Clinical and Molecular Aspects of Vitiligo Treatments

Vitiligo is an asymptomatic but cosmetically disfiguring disorder that results in the formation of depigmented patches on skin and/or mucosae. Vitiligo can be segmental or non-segmental depending upon the morphology of the clinical involvement. It can also be classified as progressing or stable based on the activity of the disease. Further, the extent of involvement can be limited (localized disease) or extensive (generalized disease). The treatment of vitiligo therefore depends on the clinical classification/characteristics of the disease and usually comprises of 2 strategies. The first involves arresting the progression of active disease (to provide stability) in order to limit the area involved by depigmentation. The second strategy aims at repigmentation of the depigmented area. It is also important to maintain the disease in a stable phase and to prevent relapse. Accordingly, a holistic treatment approach for vitiligo should be individualistic and should take care of all these considerations. In this review, we shall discuss the vitiligo treatments and their important clinical and molecular aspects.

Home interventions and light therapy for the treatment of vitiligo (HI-Light Vitiligo Trial): study protocol for a randomised controlled trial

INTRODUCTION

Vitiligo is a condition resulting in white patches on the skin. People with vitiligo can suffer from low self-esteem, psychological disturbance and diminished quality of life. Vitiligo is often poorly managed, partly due to lack of high-quality evidence to inform clinical care. We describe here a large, independent, randomised controlled trial (RCT) assessing the comparative effectiveness of potent topical corticosteroid, home-based hand-held narrowband ultraviolet B-light (NB-UVB) or combination of the two, for the management of vitiligo.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

The HI-Light Vitiligo Trial is a multicentre, three-arm, parallel group, pragmatic, placebo-controlled RCT. 516 adults and children with actively spreading, but limited, vitiligo are randomised (1:1:1) to one of three groups: mometasone furoate 0.1% ointment plus dummy NB-UVB light, vehicle ointment plus NB-UVB light or mometasone furoate 0.1% ointment plus NB-UVB light. Treatment of up to three patches of vitiligo is continued for up to 9 months with clinic visits at baseline, 3, 6 and 9 months and four post-treatment questionnaires.The HI-Light Vitiligo Trial assesses outcomes included in the vitiligo core outcome set and places emphasis on participants' views of treatment success. The primary outcome is proportion of participants achieving treatment success (patient-rated Vitiligo Noticeability Scale) for a target patch of vitiligo at 9 months with further independent blinded assessment using digital images of the target lesion before and after treatment. Secondary outcomes include time to onset of treatment response, treatment success by body region, percentage repigmentation, quality of life, time-burden of treatment, maintenance of response, safety and within-trial cost-effectiveness.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

Approvals were granted by East Midlands-Derby Research Ethics Committee (14/EM/1173) and the MHRA (EudraCT 2014-003473-42). The trial was registered 8 January 2015 ISRCTN (17160087). Results will be published in full as open access in the NIHR Journal library and elsewhere.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

ISRCTN17160087.

Vitiligo Skin Is Imprinted with Resident Memory CD8 T Cells Expressing CXCR3

Vitiligo is a chronic autoimmune depigmenting skin disorder that results from a loss of melanocytes. Multiple combinatorial factors have been involved in disease development, with a prominent role of the immune system, in particular T cells. After repigmentation, vitiligo frequently recurs in the same area, suggesting that vitiligo could involve the presence of resident memory T cells (T_RM). We sought to perform a thorough characterization of the phenotype and function of skin memory T cells in vitiligo. We show that stable and active vitiligo perilesional skin is enriched with a population of CD8 T_RM expressing both CD69 and CD103 compared with psoriasis and control unaffected skin. CD8 T_RM expressing CD103 are mainly localized in the epidermis. Expression of CXCR3 is observed on most CD8 T_RM in vitiligo, including the population of melanocyte-specific CD8 T cells. CD8 T_RM displayed increased production of IFN-γ and tumor necrosis factor-α with moderate cytotoxic activity. Our study highlights the presence of functional CD8 T_RM in both stable and active vitiligo, reinforcing the concept of vitiligo as an immune memory skin disease. The CD8 T_RM that remain in stable disease could play a role during disease flares, emphasizing the interest in targeting this cell subset in vitiligo.