Alterations of circulating free fatty acids in patients with non-segmental vitiligo

Vitiligo is a common chronic autoimmune depigmenting disorder characterized by selective destruction of melanocytes. Increasing evidence highlights the contribution of oxidative stress, metabolic dysregulation, and alterations of the gut-skin axis to vitiligo pathogenesis. Intestinal microbiota dysbiosis has emerged as a potential component of vitiligo pathophysiology; however, its clinical effects remain incompletely understood [1]. Free fatty acids (FFAs), namely circulating short- (SCFAs), medium- (MCFAs) and long-chain fatty acids (LCFAs), are obtained by host metabolism and, notably, by microbial fermentation, and represent accessible markers reflecting both systemic inflammatory condition and microbial activity [2]. In this study, we investigated whether vitiligo is associated with a distinct systemic FFA signature that might correlate with disease severity