Background Patients with vitiligo experience reduced quality of life. Objective To comprehensively describe the available evidence for psychosocial burden in vitiligo. Methods A systematic review of observational studies and clinical trials identified using PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, and the Cochrane databases was performed through 1 March, 2021, to assess psychosocial comorbidities in vitiligo. Two independent reviewers performed an assessment of articles and extracted data for qualitative synthesis. Results Included studies (N = 168) were published between 1979 and 1 March, 2021; 72.6% were published since 2010. Disorders including or related to depression (41 studies, 0.1-62.3%) and anxiety (20 studies, 1.9-67.9%) were the most commonly reported. The most prevalent psychosocial comorbidities were feelings of stigmatization (eight studies, 17.3-100%), adjustment disorders (12 studies, 4-93.9%), sleep disturbance (seven studies, 4.6-89.0%), relationship difficulties including sexual dysfunction (ten studies, 2.0-81.8%), and avoidance or restriction behavior (12.5-76%). The prevalence of most psychosocial comorbidities was significantly higher vs healthy individuals. Factors associated with a significantly higher burden included female sex, visible or genital lesions, age < 30 years (particularly adolescents), and greater body surface area involvement, among others. The most commonly reported patient coping strategy was lesion concealment. Limitations Available studies were heterogeneous and often had limited details; additionally, publication bias is possible. Conclusions The results of this systematic review show that vitiligo greatly affects psychosocial well-being. The extent of psychosocial comorbidities supports the use of multidisciplinary treatment strategies and education to address the vitiligoassociated burden of disease. Protocol Registration PROSPERO (CRD42020162223).
Primary restless legs syndrome (RLS) was not associated with new-onset cardiovascular disease (CVD) or coronary artery disease (CAD) but was associated with a slight increased risk of hypertension. In contrast, secondary RLS was associated with an increased risk of CVD, CAD, and hypertension.
Objective To evaluate the efficacy of fremanezumab in patients with chronic migraine (CM) and moderate to severe depression. Background Fremanezumab, a fully humanized monoclonal antibody that selectively targets calcitonin gene–related peptide, has been approved for the preventive treatment of migraine in adults. CM and depression are highly comorbid. Methods The 12‐week, Phase 3 HALO trial randomized patients with CM to fremanezumab quarterly (675 mg/placebo/placebo), fremanezumab monthly (675/225/225 mg), or placebo. Post hoc analyses evaluated the effects of fremanezumab in patients with moderate to severe depression (baseline 9‐item Patient Health Questionnaire sum score ≥10) on monthly number of headache days of at least moderate severity; monthly migraine days; Patient Global Impression of Change (PGIC); 6‐item Headache Impact Test (HIT‐6) scores; and depression. Results For the 219/1121 (19.5%) patients with moderate to severe depression at baseline, fremanezumab was associated with a significant reduction in monthly number of headache days of at least moderate severity for active treatment versus placebo (least‐squares mean change ± standard error for quarterly dosing: −5.3 ± 0.77; for monthly dosing: −5.5 ± 0.72; and for placebo: −2.2 ± 0.81; both p < 0.001). More patients achieved a ≥50% reduction in headache days of at least moderate severity with fremanezumab (quarterly: 31/78 [39.7%]; monthly: 39/96 [40.6%]) than placebo (9/67 [13.4%]; both p < 0.001). Compared with placebo, fremanezumab improved PGIC and HIT‐6 scores. Conclusions Fremanezumab demonstrated efficacy in the preventive treatment of CM and reduced headache impact in patients with comorbid depression.
Background Vitiligo, an autoimmune disorder characterised by skin depigmentation, is associated with reduced quality of life (QoL). Vitiligo may be under‐reported, in part because of misconceptions that it is a cosmetic disease. Objectives This survey sought to characterise vitiligo prevalence and explore the relationship between sociodemographic and clinical characteristics with QoL in a population‐based, multinational study. Methods Participants aged ≥18 years were recruited via an online panel in Europe, Japan and the USA to answer questions regarding skin disorders they may have experienced. Those reporting vitiligo (diagnosed or undiagnosed) or vitiligo signs (experiencing loss of skin colour but unaware of vitiligo and not diagnosed) were included in the analyses of vitiligo prevalence. Participants who self‐reported physician‐diagnosed vitiligo were given a broader survey to characterise disease progression, management and QoL (as measured with the Vitiligo‐specific QoL [VitiQoL] instrument). Results The total estimated vitiligo prevalence among 35 694 survey participants (Europe, n = 18 785; USA, n = 8517; Japan, n = 8392) was 1.3% (diagnosed, 0.6%; undiagnosed, 0.4%; vitiligo signs, 0.3%). Among 219 patients formally diagnosed with vitiligo (Europe, n = 150; USA, n = 48; Japan, n = 21), total VitiQoL scores were associated with age (P = 0.00017), disease extent (P < 0.0001), disease progression (P < 0.0001), disease management (P < 0.0001) and time since diagnosis (P = 0.0015). Behaviour scores varied based on skin phototype (P = 0.024) and ethnicity (P = 0.048). Higher total VitiQoL scores were reported in patients with head lesions (P = 0.027) and those with head and hand and/or wrist lesions (P = 0.018). Substantial high concern (rated 8–10 on an 11‐point Likert scale) for lesions was found across all body areas and varied with geographical region. Conclusions The vitiligo prevalence rate may be higher than previously reported, with a substantial proportion attributed to people who have not received a formal diagnosis. Among formally diagnosed patients with vitiligo, QoL was most severely impacted by more progressive and higher extent of disease.
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