Study of vitiligo at a tertiary care hospital

 

 

Abstract              Background: Vitiligo is a common acquired, progressive, multifactorial, depigmenting disorder characterized by the appearance of circumscribed white macules varying patterns, varying from small macules with scalloping borders to near total depigmentation of body, supposed to be due to chronic, progressive loss of functional melanocytes in the epidermis. This study was aimed to study vitiligo in our tertiary care hospital. Material and Methods: This prospective, observational and descriptive study was conducted in OPD patients clinically diagnosed as vitiligo during study period. Results: A total of 300 patients were included in the study after applying inclusion and exclusion criteria. Among these 179 (59.67%) were females and 121 (40.33%) were males. The female to male ratio was 1.5:1. The age at onset was found to be in the 11-20 age group in 104 (34.5%) patients. Most common duration was noted as between 1 to 5 years, 169 (56.5%) patients. A positive family history was present in 62 (20.5 %) patients In 67 patients triggering factor was noted. Koebner’s phenomenon was noted in 62 (22.2%) patients while leucotrichia was seen in 33 (11 %) patients in our study. Most common site affected was lower limb in 204 patients (68.17%), followed by upper limb in 194 (64.67%) patients. Clinically most common morphological pattern was vitiligo vulgaris noted in 52.5% patients. Acrofacial, segmental, universal, mucosal patterns were noted in 23.83 %, 7.67 %, 5.67 %, 1 % patients respectively. Conclusion: Vitiligo has a multifactorial origin, unpredictable triggers and progress of disease. Early age of onset, family history, HLA antigen, presence of leucotrichia, other skin problems are predictors for poor prognosis.

Key Words: vitiligo, vulgaris, Koebner’s, leucotrichia, psoriasis