Characteristics of Vitiligo in Children and Adolescents

Vitiligo in children and adolescents displays some distinct features, which may affect its clinical course, therapeutic outcome, and prognosis. We studied 579 children and adolescents with vitiligo, comprising 275 (47.5%) boys and 304 (52.5%) girls (male:female ratio [m:f], 1:1.1) aged between 2 and 19 years (mean ± SD 11.13 ± 4.23 years). The majority of children (301, 52%) were aged >5-12 years, and 221 (38.2%) were adolescents; onset of vitiligo in the above groups occurred between the ages of 2 and 19 years (mean ± SD 9.18 ± 4.08 years). The majority of patients (337, 58.2%) had developed vitiligo between 5 and 12 years of age, and 332 (57.4%) patients had a medical consultation within 1 year of the onset of the disease. The involvement of up to 10% of body surface area in 569 (98.3%) patients, generalized vitiligo in 328 (56.7%) patients, and focal vitiligo in 158 (27.3%) patients were the major presentations. Only 150 (15.9%) patients had family members affected by vitiligo, and associated systemic disorders, predominately thyroid abnormalities, occurred in three (0.5%) patients. Vitiligo was more frequent in children aged 5-12 years, and it affected girls with a slight preponderance, commonly presenting as generalized vitiligo and focal/localized vitiligo. Patients with a family history of vitiligo had an earlier onset but without a statistically significant difference. Local trauma is an important trigger, and screening for thyroid disorders appears important.