Profile of vitiligo in the south of Tunisia.

BACKGROUND

Vitiligo is a depigmentation disorder characterized by the loss of melanocytes from cutaneous cells. Its pathogenesis has not yet been clarified.

OBJECTIVE

To study the epidemiologic profile of vitiligo in Tunisia and analyze its characteristics.

METHODS

The clinical presentation of vitiligo was examined in 60 patients [27 males (45%) and 33 females (55%)] attending the Médenine Hospital Center, a large hospital in the south of Tunisia.

RESULTS

The lower limbs were the initial site of onset of vitiligo in the majority of patients (29.8%), followed by the upper limbs, head and neck, trunk, and mucosae. The most common clinical pattern observed was vitiligo vulgaris, followed by focal, acrofacial, mucosal, segmental, and universal types. Leukotrichia was observed in 23%, koebnerization in 18.5%, and a positive family history in 18%.

CONCLUSION

This study indicates that vitiligo vulgaris is the most common clinical type observed in the south of Tunisia. There were associated endocrine disorders in some patients, including diabetes, hypothyroidism, and alopecia.