Clinical Features of Vitiligo in Children and Adolescents

Abstract

Objective – The research was implemented in order to determine the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of vitiligo in children and adolescents. Material and methods – The study was conducted as a crosssectional study of patients aged 0 to 18 years, treated at the Department of Dermatology at the Institute for Children and Youth Health Care of Vojvodina in Novi Sad, from January 1996 to January 2009. The study included 75 children and adolescents with vitiligo, 47 girls and 28 boys. Results – The average age of the patients was 10.81 ± 4.06 years, and their age at the time of occurrence of vitiligo was 8.46 ± 4.19 years. The most common “trigger” for the occurrence of vitiligo was stress in 18 (13.5%) children. 19 (25.3%) had a positive family history of vitiligo, and 29 (38.6%) patients for other endocrine and/or autoimmune diseases, mostly for thyroid disorders - in 25 (33.3%) patients. The initial vitiligo lesions were most often on the head and neck - in 33 children (44.0%). Non segmental vitiligo was diagnosed in 69 (92.0%), and segmental vitiligo in 6 children and adolescents (8.0%). The most common type of vitiligo was generalized, in 32 (42.7%) patients. 28 (34.1%) had polyosis, 35 (42.7%) halo nevus, and Koebner’s phenomenon was found in 19 (23.2%) children and adolescents with vitiligo. Conclusion – A higher incidence of vitiligo was confirmed in girls, the most common type of vitiligo was generalized, the most common sites of the initial lesions were the head and neck, which is consistent with previous studies on children’s vitiligo. The lower frequency of segmental and a higher incidence of acrofacial vitiligo is probably linked to the fact that 42.7% of the sample consisted of adolescents.