The effectiveness of therapeutic interventions on quality of life for vitiligo patients: A systematic review

This paper reviews the effectiveness of therapeutic interventions on quality of life for adult patients with vitiligo. We systematically searched nine databases from 1990 to February 2010 and reviewed randomized controlled trials and quasi-experimental studies of current therapeutic interventions for vitiligo, including oral, topical, combination, camouflage, cognitive-behavioural therapy and grafting. Quality of life outcomes were collected. The Joanna Briggs Institute Meta Analysis of Statistics Assessment and Review Instrument was used for quality assessment. Nine studies were included for this review, and all treatments were found to improve quality of life for vitiligo patients. Disease-altering interventions were effective in improving quality of life. Lifestyle-altering interventions were found to be selectively effective for patients with more severe quality of life impairment. Current interventions for vitiligo are effective in improving quality of life either by enhancing physical appearance of the patient or by addressing the psychological distress directly. Less effectiveness was achieved for the functional and social dimensions, which are more dependent on social and cultural norms. This suggests that current interventions alone are inadequate to address the holistic quality of life challenges associated with vitiligo.