DOI: 10.7241/ourd.20123.55                                                                                   article in PDF
Our Dermatol Online. 2012; 3(3): 232-233
Date of submission: 25.03.2012 / acceptance: 16.04.2012
Conflicts of interest: None
 
VITILIGO – ANTI-THYROID PEROXIDASE ANTIBODY

Anca Chiriac1, Liliana Foia2, Claudia Miron3

1Nicolina Medical Center, Department of Dermtology Iasi, Romania
2University of Medicine Gr T Popa, Department of Biochemistry Iasi, Romania
3CMI Endocrinology Iasi, Romania

Corresponding author: Anca Chiriac, MD PhD     e-mail:ancachiriac@yahoo.com

How to cite an article: Chiriac A, Foia L, Miron C. Vitiligo – Anti-thyroid peroxidase antibody. Our Dermatol Online 2012; 3(3): 232-233.

 
     Sir,
Vitiligo is a common skin depigmenting disease, which is thought to have, at least partly, an autoimmune aetiology. The aim of this study was to explore the correlation between vitiligo and autoimmune thyroiditis, especially Anti-thyroid peroxidase antibody. Our objective was to compare the frequency of thyroid peroxidase antibody (anti-TPO) in vitiligo patients seen in 2011 in our Department.
 
Methods
57 cases of vitiligo (39 women and 18 men) were enrolled in this study,for a period of 12 months (Tabl. I), (Fig. 1, 2). The clinical type of vitiligo are shown in Table II and Fig 3. Anti-TPO levels were assessed in order to detect any correlation with the onset, the evolution and the treatment of vitiligo. Patients with vitiligo and with known thyroid disease, history of thyroid surgery and those receiving thyroid medications were not included.
 
 
Age (years)
  Male Female
 Percentage
(of the total number of vitiligo patients)
under 6 0 0 0
6-10  0  0 0
10-18 2    
18-30 7 8 26,31%
30-40  2 8 17,54%
40-60  3  19 38,60%
over 60 3 5 14,03%
Table I. Age and gender distribution of vitiligo patients
 
 
Figure. 1 Percentage (of the total number of vitiligo patients)
Figure 2. The gender distribution of patients with vitiligo
 
Clinical forms
 Number of
patients with
vitiligo		 Percentage (of the
total number of
vitiligo patients)
 Number of
patients with Ac
TPO within
normal limits
(percentage of
the total number
of vitiligo
patients)
 Number of
patients with Ac
TPO high levels
(percentage of the
total number of
vitiligo patients)
 Number of
patients with
unknown value of
Ac TPO
(percentage of the
total number of
vitiligo patients)
facial 7 12,28% 7 2 2
acro-facial  4   1 0 3
focal 27 47,36% 14 5 8
universal 15 26,31% 6 6 3
acral  4 7,01% 2 2 0
total 57 100% 26 ( 45,6%) 15 (26,31%) 16 (28,07%)
Table II. The clinical type of vitiligo

 

Figure 3. Clinical form of vitiligo
Figure 4. Thyroid status
Of 57 patients with vitiligo: 14 were diagnosed with autoimmune thyroiditis meaning of all patients, 13 patients were not evaluated for thyroid function and 30 had normal thryoid status. (Fig. 4, 5).
 
Figure 5. Thyroid status of 57 patients
 
Conclusions
According to our study, high levels of anti-TPO were shown to be more common in vitiligo patients, especially in young women. As this antibody is a relatively sensitive and specific marker of autoimmune thyroid disorders and considering the fact that vitiligo usually precedes the onset of thyroid dysfunction, periodic follow-up of vitiligo patients for detecting thyroid diseases is further emphasized especially in young women with increased level of anti-TPO.

Comments are closed.