Abstract
Vitiligo is an acquired, multifactorial disorder of depigmentation and is overwhelming and distressing to the patients and the care givers. Childhood vitiligo has different characteristics as compared to adult-onset vitiligo. Every parent wants to know if the disease will progress or regress. To study the epidemiological, clinical and hematological patterns of children with vitiligo. First 50 patients with vitiligo, younger than 12 years of age, who visited the Dermatology outpatient department of Vinayaka Missions Hospital, a tertiary care center in Karaikal, between January 2015 and January 2020 were included. They were assessed for the natural history, clinical features, family history and associated abnormalities of vitiligo. There were 19 boys and 31 girls (boys: girls 1:1.63) out of 50 patients. Mean age of onset of vitiligo was 5.8 years and mean duration was 1.4 years. The most common site was the head and the neck, followed by the extremities, trunk and genitalia and the most prevalent type was vitiligo vulgaris (60%). Then, it was acrofacial vitiligo (26.5%), focal vitiligo (23.7%) and segmental vitiligo (2.6%). 5 patients had a positive family history. Involvement of mucosa in 12%, Leukotrichia in 11% and Koebnerization was seen in 10% children. Body involvement is bilateral in 72% and unilateral in 28% children. Majority of patients (49%) had multiple lesions (more than 5) and most (96%) had <5% body surface area involved. In children, any depigmented/hypopigmented lesion should be evaluated and followed up properly to rule out vitiligo. The patterns and characteristics of childhood-onset vitiligo should be understood properly by Dermatologists as it presents in a different manner from adult-onset disease and its management should take several factors into consideration like extension, psychological effects on children and parents, avoidance of treatment side effects and probable association with other autoimmune diseases.
Highlights
Vitiligo is a chronic, acquired, multifactorial disorder of depigmentation of skin, characterized by well-defined white macules or large macules due to loss of functional melanocytes and melanin from the epidermis
The most prevalent type of vitiligo seen in our patients was vitiligo vulgaris (40%), followed by focal (26%), Vitiligo family history was present in 5 (10%) patients
Thyroid disorder family history was present in 2 patients (4%) and Alopecia areata family history in 1 patient (2%)
Summary
Vitiligo is a chronic, acquired, multifactorial disorder of depigmentation of skin, characterized by well-defined white macules or large macules due to loss of functional melanocytes and melanin from the epidermis. Childhoodonset vitiligo has distinguishable epidemiological and clinical features as compared to adult-onset vitiligo It starts before 20 years of age (before 10 years in 25% cases). Materials and Methods: First 50 patients with vitiligo, younger than 12 years of age, who visited the Dermatology outpatient department of Vinayaka Missions Hospital, a tertiary care center in Karaikal, between January 2015 and January 2020 were included They were assessed for the natural history, clinical features, family history and associated abnormalities of vitiligo. The patterns and characteristics of childhood-onset vitiligo should be understood properly by Dermatologists as it presents in a different manner from adult-onset disease and its management should take several factors into consideration like extension, psychological effects on children and parents, avoidance of treatment side effects and probable association with other autoimmune diseases
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