Abstract
Background Vitiligo is not a well-studied disease in Ethiopia. Therefore, this study assessed its clinico-epidemiological profile and treatment patterns. Methods An institutional-based cross-sectional study was conducted in conveniently selected dermatologic clinics of Mekelle city, Ethiopia. A two-phased study was conducted, in which the first was to determine prevalence of vitiligo while the second phase was to describe the clinico-epidemiological profile and treatment pattern of vitiligo. Four-hundred three randomly selected dermatological patients were included in the first phase study. The second phase study included vitiligo cases from the first phase study and additional vitiligo cases found in a two months period prospective study. Results Of the 403 randomly selected dermatological patients who presented in the year 2017 to 2019, the prevalence of vitiligo was 13.15%. Of the 79 cases with vitiligo, nearly two-thirds (50, 63.3%) were males with five years as the median age at onset of the disease. Positive family history of vitiligo was recorded in about one-third (25, 31.6%) of the cases. Limbs (48, 44.5%) followed by the head and neck (26, 24%) were the most commonly affected parts of the body at the onset of the disease. The most prevalent clinical form of vitiligo was vulgaris (39.2%) followed by the focal type (26.6%). Emotional upset (24, 33.8%) and physical traumas (23, 32.4%) were the frequently reported triggering factors of vitiligo. Three-fourths (75.5%) of the cases had prescriptions of topical corticosteroids, and 24.5% of them had prescriptions of sun screen lotion. Conclusion The prevalence of vitiligo was found to be high. The clinico-epidemiological profile of vitiligo in Ethiopia was similar with that found globally. However, treatment options of vitiligo were very limited in Ethiopia.
Highlights
Vitiligo is a common acquired, probably heritable, progressive depigmenting skin disorder characterized by destruction of melanocytes within the epidermis, the mucous membranes, the eyes, and occasionally in some hair bulbs [1]. e prevalence of vitiligo was 0.5–2% globally
To the best of our knowledge, little is known about the status of Vitiligo in Ethiopia, in which the current study aimed to generate inferences for the study settings, which are the selected dermatologic clinics in Mekelle city, Ethiopia
403 dermatological patients were randomly selected from the total dermatological cases presented to the dermatologic clinics in the year 2017 to 2019. e second phase was aiming at describing the clinico-epidemiological profile and treatment pattern of vitiligo. is phase included cases of vitiligo that were found in the first phase as well as other vitiligo cases that were found from a two months’ period prospective study which was intentionally conducted to add more vitiligo cases. us, the second phase study included a total of seventy nine patients with vitiligo provided that fifty-three of them were brought from the first phase study and twenty-six were found in the prospective study
Summary
Vitiligo is not a well-studied disease in Ethiopia. erefore, this study assessed its clinico-epidemiological profile and treatment patterns. Vitiligo is not a well-studied disease in Ethiopia. Erefore, this study assessed its clinico-epidemiological profile and treatment patterns. An institutional-based cross-sectional study was conducted in conveniently selected dermatologic clinics of Mekelle city, Ethiopia. A two-phased study was conducted, in which the first was to determine prevalence of vitiligo while the second phase was to describe the clinico-epidemiological profile and treatment pattern of vitiligo. Four-hundred three randomly selected dermatological patients were included in the first phase study. Of the 403 randomly selected dermatological patients who presented in the year 2017 to 2019, the prevalence of vitiligo was 13.15%. Of the 79 cases with vitiligo, nearly two-thirds (50, 63.3%) were males with five years as the median age at onset of the disease. E most prevalent clinical form of vitiligo was vulgaris (39.2%) followed by the focal type (26.6%). Treatment options of vitiligo were very limited in Ethiopia
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