Clinico-Epidemiological Characteristics and Dermoscopic Patterns of Vitiligo in Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background: Vitiligo is a chronic depigmenting disorder with variable clinical presentation and causes a significant psychological impact. Dermoscopy has now become an important tool for the diagnosis of the disease and therapeutic prognosis. The current study aimed to evaluate the clinic-epidemiological profile and dermoscopic patterns of vitiligo in adult patients presenting to our tertiary care hospital. Methods: This cross-sectional observational study was conducted in 50 adult cases of vitiligo. A detailed history, including family history, precipitating factors, and autoimmune comorbidities, was analyzed. Clinical subtype and distributions were recorded. The disease activity was assessed using Vitiligo Disease Activity (VIDA) scores. Dermoscopic evaluation was done to determine the characteristic patterns and their association with clinical features. Results: The mean age of the cohort was 36.4 years with a slight female preponderance. The most frequent type of vitiligo was the non-segmental type in 84% of cases. Acrofacial and generalized subtypes were most frequently found. Stress was the predominant precipitating factor with common coexisting autoimmune comorbidity. Koebner phenomenon, mucosal involvement, and leukotrichia were observed in a significant case. Dermoscopy revealed chalky-white background, perifollicular pigmentation, micro-islands of pigment, and comet-tail borders. Perifollicular pigmentation was significantly correlated with stable disease, whereas micro-islands and comet-tail borders correlated with active disease. Conclusion: Our study found clinic-epidemiological diversity in the distribution of diseases. Non-segmental vitiligo was the commonest subtype, and the autoimmune disease commonly associated with it was thyroid disorders. Precipitating factors were stress and trauma. Dermoscopy provided crucial insights, particularly for perifollicular pigmentation and micro-islands of pigment, which were associated with disease stability and activity.