Repigmentation of Tenacious Vitiligo on Apremilast

Area of Science:

• Dermatology
• Immunology

Background:

• Vitiligo is a common autoimmune pigment disorder causing melanocyte loss and depigmentation.
• Current vitiligo treatments are limited due to poorly understood disease mechanisms.
• Patients often have co-occurring autoimmune conditions.

Observation:

• A 52-year-old woman with a 20-year history of vitiligo presented with recalcitrant disease.
• She had previously shown no response to multiple treatment modalities.

Findings:

• Apremilast, an FDA-approved medication for psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis, was administered.
• The patient experienced significant repigmentation.

Implications:

• This case suggests apremilast may be a viable treatment option for severe, treatment-resistant vitiligo.
• Further research into apremilast for vitiligo is warranted.
• Understanding apremilast's mechanism in vitiligo could offer new therapeutic insights.