Long-term follow-up and correlated factors of vitiligo following autologous epidermal transplantation.

Autologous epidermal transplantation is an easy, safe, and effective option for the treatment of stable vitiligo. To evaluate the long-term outcome and correlated factors, 1 to 5 years of follow-up of 310 vitiligo patients treated with autologous epidermal transplantation was carried out by questionnaires, telephone calls, and clinical examinations. Some correlated factors including time, gender, age, location, Köbner phenomenon, and exposure to narrowband UVB (NB-UVB) have been considered and analyzed. Twenty-four recipient areas with 1266 sheets were observed and classified with 4 degrees (excellent, good, fair, and poor). Among them, 1099 sheets (86.81%) were classified with excellent to fair repigmentation (excellent repigmentation, 815 sheets [64.38%]). We also found hyperpigmentation in 76 patients (24.52%), and hypopigmentation in 66 patients (21.29%) on the transplanted areas. Köbner phenomenon could be observed in 25 patients (8.06%), which implies difficulty for normal repigmentation. Forty-two patients developed new lesions after the operation. The operation usually can get best results within 2 years and on areas with less movement such as the arm and leg. The treatment plus NB-UVB exposure are recommended for getting better repigmentation. Gender and age seem to have no relationship with the effect. After long-term follow-up, we concluded that autologous epidermal transplantation is an effective method for the treatment of vitiligo and the results can be mainly affected by the transplant location.