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Updated: May 13, 2026

The Goeckerman Regimen for the Treatment of Moderate to Severe Psoriasis
Published on: July 11, 2013
Non-segmental vitiligo and psoriasis comorbidity - a case-control study in Italian patients
M Arunachalam1, F Dragoni, R Colucci
1Department of Critical Care Medicine and Surgery, Division of Dermatology, University of Florence, Florence, Italy.
Background:
A recent systematic evaluation of vitiligo and psoriasis comorbidity has not yet been reported in a large series of patients with vitiligo.
Objective:
To investigate the practical/clinical implications in subjects with both vitiligo and psoriasis compared to those with vitiligo alone.
Methods:
This was a case-control study on 463 vitiligo patients in our clinic from March 2008 to April 2011. Medical assessment was performed by dermatologists using the modified Vitiligo European Task Force form.
Results:
In an univariate analysis, inflammation/pruritus [odds ratio (OR) 2.42, P = 0.03], use of drugs that can induce psoriasis (OR 2.74, P = 0.01), a family history (FH) of psoriasis (OR 2.87, P = 0.02), cardiovascular disease (OR 5.70, P = 0.001), hypertension (OR 4.7, P = 0.006) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (OR 3.87, P = 0.004), were significantly correlated with patients exhibiting vitiligo and psoriasis comorbidity. A trend was found in personal history of cardiovascular disease in patients with both diseases (OR 2.99, P = 0.07). FH of vitiligo was significantly associated with patients having only vitiligo (OR 0.35, P = 0.05). Multivariate analysis demonstrated that inflammation/pruritus in vitiligo macules (OR 2.56, P = 0.047) and a FH of cardiovascular disease (OR 4.07, P = 0.02) were the most significant predictors of patients having both psoriasis and vitiligo, while the presence of organ-specific autoantibodies (OR 0.24, P = 0.007) was significantly associated with patients having only vitiligo.
Conclusion:
The presence of vitiligo and even mild psoriasis is significantly correlated with a family history of cardiovascular disease, a factor that requires greater attention and follow-up with respect to that necessary for vitiligo patients.
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