Related Experiment Videos
Childhood vitiligo: a prospective hospital-based study
Nawaf Al-Mutairi1, Ashok Kumar Sharma, Mazen Al-Sheltawy
1Department of Dermatology, Farwaniya Hospital, Farwaniya, Kuwait. nalmut@usa.net
The Australasian Journal of Dermatology
|July 13, 2005
Summary
This study assessed 88 children with vitiligo, finding it often begins in late childhood. Some children had underlying autoimmune markers, even without symptoms, highlighting the need for comprehensive assessment.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Dermatology
- Autoimmune Disorders
- Endocrinology
Background:
- Vitiligo is a chronic skin condition characterized by depigmentation.
- Pediatric vitiligo warrants investigation for potential associated autoimmune and endocrine conditions.
- Understanding the epidemiology and clinical presentation in children is crucial for early diagnosis and management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To clinically assess children presenting with vitiligo.
- To investigate the prevalence of autoimmune and endocrine disorders in pediatric vitiligo patients.
- To determine the age of onset, family history, and clinical subtypes of vitiligo in this cohort.
Main Methods:
- Clinical assessment of 88 consecutive pediatric patients with vitiligo.
- Evaluation for autoimmune markers, specifically antithyroid antibodies.
- Assessment of endocrine disorders and family history of vitiligo.
Main Results:
- Vitiligo onset occurred between 8 and 12 years of age in 51% of patients.
- A positive family history for vitiligo was reported in 27.3% of cases.
- Vitiligo vulgaris was the most frequent clinical presentation; 3 asymptomatic patients tested positive for antithyroid antibodies.
Conclusions:
- Pediatric vitiligo frequently presents in late childhood.
- A significant proportion of children with vitiligo have a positive family history.
- Subclinical autoimmune thyroid disease may be associated with pediatric vitiligo, necessitating further investigation.