Clinical patterns and associated comorbidities of vitiligo in Kandahar, Afghanistan. A case-control study

摘要

Background: Vitiligo is an idiopathic acquired depigmentary skin/mucous membrane disorder. Main objective of thisstudy was to find out demographic data, clinical patterns, and comorbidities associated with vitiligo in Kandahar,Afghanistan. Material and Methods: This was a case-control study conducted in Kandahar University Teaching Hospitalbetween July 2017–June 2018. Descriptive statistics, Chi-square test, and logistic regression were used for data analysis.Results: A total of 400 patients (200 cases and 200 controls) were recruited. Mean age ± standard deviation (SD) ofcases were 21.7±13.8 with most of the patients (77/200 [38.5%]) in age group 11–20 years. Female cases were more(107/200 [53.5%]) than males. Family history of vitiligo, accompanying altered immunity and autoimmunity disorders,psychological stress, premature graying of hair, halo nevus, vitamin D deficiency, vitamin B12 deficiency, and folatedeficiency were present in 60/200 (30%), 26/195 (13.3%), 95/200 (47.5%), 31/200 (15.5%), 24/200 (12%), 22/200 (11%),16/200 (8%), and 14/200 (7%) of the cases, respectively. Most of the patients (148/200 [74%]) had vulgaris, followed byfocal (30/200 [15%]) and segmental (11/200 [5.5%]) types of vitiligo. Logistic regression analysis showed that familyhistory, accompanying altered immunity and autoimmunity disorders, premature graying of hair, halo nevus, andatopic diathesis were the possible risk factors of vitiligo with odds ratios of 37.1, 9.0, 6.0, 13.9, and 3.9 respectively.Conclusions: Vitiligo affects women more than men, observed mostly in second decade of life. Vitiligo vulgaris is themost prevalent type.