Construction of an Assessment Model for Vitiligo Disease Activity and Treatment Prognosis Based on Peripheral Blood Cytokine Profiles

Vitiligo is a chronic autoimmune disorder characterized by depigmented patches on the skin, which can pose significant psychosocial challenges, particularly for individuals with darker skin tones. Compared to the general population, individuals with vitiligo are more likely to experience immune-mediated diseases or psychological comorbidities. Studies confirm that the combined prevalence of depression and anxiety among vitiligo patients reaches 8% and 35.8%, respectively. Notably, the anxiety prevalence rate is comparable to that seen in other severely debilitating skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis. However, the progression, stability, and recurrence of vitiligo exhibit high unpredictability. Unlike other inflammatory skin diseases such as psoriasis or atopic dermatitis, there is currently a lack of objective, sensitive biological markers in clinical practice to predict disease activity, forecast treatment response, or assess long-term prognosis. Decisions primarily rely on the attending physician's assessment of disease activity, affected areas, severity, and repigmentation potential. Furthermore, clinical signs of active vitiligo are only observable in some active-phase patients, introducing delays and subjectivity. This leads to reactive treatment decisions, increasing the likelihood of missing the optimal intervention window. Cytokines are small-molecule polypeptides or glycoproteins synthesized and secreted by the body's cells, possessing diverse biological activities. They play a central role in physiological and pathological processes such as immune regulation, anti-infection, and anti-tumor responses. The "Twelve Cytokine Panel" is a clinical test utilizing advanced flow cytometry for the combined analysis of 12 core cytokines. The cytokines included in this test are IL-1β, IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12p70, IL-17, IFN-α, IFN-γ, and TNF-α. This panel comprehensively reflects innate immune and T-cell immune responses, providing crucial laboratory evidence for evaluating the functional status of the immune system and inflammatory network. Cytokines serve as core messenger molecules in the autoimmune pathogenesis of vitiligo, forming a complex inflammatory network that governs the entire process of immune attacks against melanocytes. Consequently, detecting specific cytokine profiles not only deepens our understanding of vitiligo's disease mechanisms but also holds immense potential clinical value in assessing disease activity, monitoring treatment efficacy, and developing novel targeted therapies.