Epidemiology of Vitiligo, Associated Autoimmune Diseases and Audiological Abnormalities: Ankara Study of 80 Patients in Turkey

Background: Recent clinical studies suggest that the pathogenetic mechanisms of vitiligo could be of systemic origin as vitiligo is associated with auditory abnormalities as well as other autoimmune disorders.

Objectives: To investigate clinical, genetic characteristics and laboratory findings of vitiligo as well as auditory abnormalities and the association of the disease with the other autoimmune disorders.

Materials And Methods: From January to December 2008, we collected-data from 80 vitiligo patients to establish the clinical and epidemiological profile of vitiligo in Turkey.

Results: Thirty patients were men and 50 were women, with a mean age of 37 years and a mean onset age of 10 years. Vitiligo vulgaris was the most common type, followed by focal, acrofacial, segmental and universal types. Forty-four (55%) patients had an associated autoimmune disease. These associated diseases were Hashimoto thyroiditis in 25, alopecia areata in 10, pernicious anaemia in seven and diabetes mellitus in two patients. Statistically significant changes in human leukocyte antigen in patients with vitiligo were HLA A24,-30, B63, CW6, DR15, DR51, DQ5,-6. Auditory problems were observed in 37.7% patients. Nine of the 20 patients showed unilateral minimal hearing loss (>30 dB), while the other 11 demonstrated bilateral hearing loss (>30 dB) over a large range of frequencies (2000-8000 Hz).

Conclusion: Our study demonstrates that vitiligo is a part of systemic autoimmune process. Audiological examination should be performed in all patients for auditory problems which are commonly presented as hypoacusis.