Yang K, et al. - Researchers designed this retrospective cohort study to examine the relationships between early repigmentation patterns in vitiliginous patches, their clinical characteristics, and therapeutic choices. As per findings, different repigmentation patterns of vitiligo lesions were based on different source and status of melanocytes and their abilities to produce melanin on the choice of therapy.

Methods

• The researchers included patients with vitiligo at the Department of Dermatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University from 2010 to 2015.
• Clinical records were reviewed, especially photographs and medical treatments.

Results

• The researchers enrolled 117 patients in this study.
• They included and analyzed 326 lesions with different degrees of depigmentation, locations, stages, distributions, therapies, and repigmentation patterns.
• Perifollicular repigmentation was often found in lesions with complete depigmentation (P=0.005), in non-sun exposed areas (P < 0.001), a stable stage (P=0.008), and lesions treated with narrow band ultraviolet B (NB-UVB) (P < 0.001, despite lesion distributions).
• Marginal repigmentation was found to be more frequent in lesions with complete depigmentation (P=0.016), lesions treated without NB-UVB (P=0.002), and facial lesions treated with topical vitamin D analogs (TVDAs) monotherapy (P=0.022).
• The predominant pattern in lesions with incomplete depigmentation (P < 0.001), in sun-exposed areas (P < 0.001), progressive stage (P=0.044), and truncal lesions treated with TVDAs (P < 0.001) was revealed to be diffuse repigmentation.