Co-Occurrence of Inflammatory Bowel Disease in Patients with Vitiligo: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

TL;DR

This study finds that people with vitiligo have a higher risk of developing inflammatory bowel disease, especially Crohn’s disease, suggesting a shared immune system link.

Contribution

The study provides a meta-analysis of IBD prevalence in vitiligo patients, revealing a significant association and highlighting the need for screening.

Findings

The pooled prevalence of IBD in vitiligo patients is 0.97%, with Crohn’s disease at 0.45% and ulcerative colitis at 0.69%.

Vitiligo is associated with a 1.51 times higher risk of IBD, particularly Crohn’s disease.

IBD prevalence varies by country, with the highest rates in Saudi Arabia and a slight gender difference favoring women.

Abstract

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic, increasingly common condition linked to other autoimmune disorders, including vitiligo. This study aims to assess IBD co-occurrence in vitiligo patients to explore underlying immunogenetic factors and inform better screening and management.

A systematic search was conducted across Scopus, PubMed/Medline, Web of Science, and Embase, to identify relevant studies published up to March 31, 2025. Studies examining the prevalence of IBD and its subtypes in patients with vitiligo were included. Data were extracted and pooled using random effects models, with heterogeneity assessed through Cochran’s Q test and Higgins I
2 test.

A total of 16 studies with 44 records were included in the analysis. The pooled prevalence of IBD was 0.97% (95% CI: 0.69-1.25), with Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) reported at 0.45% (0.32-0.59) and 0.69% (0.42-0.97), respectively. Also, vitiligo was significantly associated with an increased risk of IBD (odds ratio [OR] = 1.51, 95% CI: 1.10-2.07), particularly for CD (OR = 1.49, 95% CI: 1.13-1.97). The pooled prevalence of IBD varied across countries, with the highest prevalence reported in Saudi Arabia. Additionally, women with vitiligo had a slightly higher pooled prevalence of IBD compared to men.

This study found that the prevalence of IBD in patients with vitiligo is approximately 0.97%, with vitiligo significantly increasing the risk of developing IBD, particularly CD. Clinicians should consider IBD in the differential diagnosis of vitiligo patients with gastrointestinal symptoms.

Figures