Abstract
Objectives: The objectives of the study were to assess clinical profile (age of onset, age of presentation, gender, site of involvement, severity (stage), type of vitiligo, triggering factors, and associated diseases), prescription patterns (monotherapy, combination therapy, oral, topical, and therapeutic categories of drugs prescribed) and to monitor and report adverse drug reactions (based on World Health Organization [WHO] causality assessment scale) in vitiligo patients.
 Methods: A hospital-based prospective observational study was carried out by evaluating and assessing the clinical profile and prescription patterns of 85 patients who attended dermatology venereology and leprosy (DVL) outpatient department at Sri Padmavathi Medical College for Women, SVIMS, Tirupati, over a period of 6 months from June 2019 to December 2019.
 Results: In our study, forty four (51.77%) patients were female, vitiligo vulgaris is the most common morphological type observed in twenty seven (31.76%) patients. 31–50 years was the predominant age group. The mean age of onset and presentation was 38.35 (standard deviation of 18.37) and 43.27 (standard deviation of 17.96) years, respectively. Forty-one (48.23%) patients were having Stage 1 vitiligo. Fifty (58.85%) patients were having vitiligo at more than 1 site. Twelve (14.11%) patients were having a positive family history of vitiligo. Thirty-seven (43.53%) patients had triggering factors. Associated diseases were found in thirty (35%) patients. Combination therapy was given to sixty one (71.77%) patients. Topical medications were given to fifty two (61.18%) patients. During the study, we did not have a single patient complaining of any adverse drug reaction.
 Conclusion: Longer the time after appearance of vitiligo, lesser the number of patients attending follow-up. If vitiligo is diagnosed at the earliest stage, more are the chances for complete repigmentation. Patients with a poor economic background are less bothered about their skin condition and are not using medications properly.
Highlights
Vitiligo is a psychologically debilitating and disfiguring disease with localized depigmentation occurring due to progressive loss of melanocytes [1] and is characterized by milky white sharply demarcated macules affecting the people of any age, gender, and ethnicity [2] and it has a major impact on patient’s quality of life and may negatively affect the sexual relationship
As data are scarce regarding the clinical profile and prescription patterns of vitiligo in South India, this study aimed to examine the clinical profile (age of onset, age of presentation, gender, site of distribution, severity, type of vitiligo, triggering factors, and associated diseases), prescription patterns, and adverse drug reactions in vitiligo patients based on the WHO causality assessment scale presenting to the dermatology venereology and leprosy (DVL) outpatient department (OPD) of Sri Venkateswara Institute of Medical Sciences (SVIMS), Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, India
Study design and ethical consideration A hospital-based prospective observational study on the assessment and monitoring of clinical profile, prescription patterns, and adverse drug reactions of vitiligo patients in the dermatology outpatient department was conducted in a tertiary care teaching hospital “Sri Venkateswara Institute of Medical Sciences,” Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, India, in 2019
Summary
Vitiligo is a psychologically debilitating and disfiguring disease with localized depigmentation occurring due to progressive loss of melanocytes [1] and is characterized by milky white sharply demarcated macules affecting the people of any age, gender, and ethnicity [2] and it has a major impact on patient’s quality of life and may negatively affect the sexual relationship. As data are scarce regarding the clinical profile and prescription patterns of vitiligo in South India, this study aimed to examine the clinical profile (age of onset, age of presentation, gender, site of distribution, severity (stage), type of vitiligo, triggering factors, and associated diseases), prescription patterns (monotherapy, combination therapy, oral, topical, and therapeutic categories of drugs prescribed), and adverse drug reactions in vitiligo patients based on the WHO causality assessment scale presenting to the dermatology venereology and leprosy (DVL) outpatient department (OPD) of Sri Venkateswara Institute of Medical Sciences (SVIMS), Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, India
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
