Predictive value of disease activity signs in vitiligo: An observational study

Abstract

The progression of vitiligo is unpredictable, emphasizing the need to identify periods of activity early for tailored treatment. Confetti-like depigmentation, hypochromic areas/borders and Koebner's phenomenon are clinical visible signs associated with disease activity in vitiligo. However, their true clinical significance requires further investigation using standardized scoring systems. In the present study, the Vitiligo Signs of Activity Score (VSAS) and the Vitiligo Disease Activity Score (VDAS) were applied to assess disease activity signs and disease progression over time, respectively. Individuals with at least one disease activity sign had a 76.9% likelihood of having active vitiligo. The simultaneous presence of multiple signs or their appearance across body locations increased the likelihood to 94% and 87.1%, respectively. Patients with no disease activity signs had a 60.3% likelihood of having stable disease. This research provides an important nuance about the disease activity signs in vitiligo, which may help guide disease management. The risk of active disease increases when at least two types of vitiligo activity signs are present, or when they are present on different body locations. However, the absence of vitiligo activity signs does not rule out active vitiligo.