Are Patients with Vitiligo More Prone to Myocardial Infarction?: A Case-control Study

Background: Vitiligo is a multifactorial polygenic disorder commonly associated with other autoimmune diseases. The reported link between vitiligo and abnormalities of serum interleukin (IL)-17, zinc, calcium, and vitamin D is not fully understood. Objectives: We sought to assess the serum levels of vitamin D, calcium, zinc, and IL-17 in patients with vitiligo and to answer the question of whether patients with vitiligo are more prone to experience myocardial infarction. Design: This was a case-control study and we did not exclude any eligible participants with other systemic autoimmune diseases. Serum vitamin D, calcium, zinc, and IL-17 levels were measured and correlated with disease severity. Setting: The study was conducted at Benha University Hospital in Egypt. Participants: Thirty patients with vitiligo and 30 age- and sex-matched healthy volunteers were included. Measurements: Disease severity was measured using the Vitiligo Extent Tensity Index (VETI) score. Results: Patients with vitiligo showed significantly lower levels of vitamin D (p<0.001), calcium (p<0.001), and zinc (p<0.001), and an insignificantly higher level of IL-17 compared to the control group (p=0.102). Patients with other autoimmune diseases showed significantly lower vitamin D (p=0.0001) and calcium (p<0.0001) levels and higher IL-17 (p=0.0431) and zinc (p=0.0274) compared to controls. Conclusion: The levels of measured markers might make patients with vitiligo, especially those with autoimmune diseases, prone to myocardial infarction; the investigation of myocardial infarction, especially when a patient shows low vitamin D, calcium, and zinc or high IL-17 are recommended.