title: Autoimmune diseases and vitamin D receptor Apa-I polymorphism are associated with vitiligo in a small inbred Romanian community.
abstract: Vitiligo has been associated with the host's genetic profile, metabolic abnormality and immunostatus. The purpose of this study was to investigate the association of vitiligo with autoimmune diseases for 31 out of 39 subjects with vitiligo and their first-degree relatives living in a small Caucasian inbred rural community. They were compared with healthy individuals. A 2.28% prevalence of vitiligo was calculated and the presence of consanguine marriages (72.3%) was noted for this community. Our results indicate an increased prevalence of thyroidopathies, diabetes mellitus and rheumatoid arthritis in families with vitiligo. We also show that the Apa-I polymorphism of the vitamin D receptor gene is associated with vitiligo. This is the first study of its kind performed in Romania suggesting that the vitamin D receptor gene might play a role in the aetiopathogenesis of skin depigmentation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Zalau County Hospital, Zalau, Romania. S_Birlea@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Stanca
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Birlea
authors.forename: Marius
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Birlea
authors.forename: Danut
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cimponeriu
authors.forename: Pompilia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Apostol
authors.forename: Rodica
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cosgarea
authors.forename: Lucian
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gavrila
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tigan
authors.forename: Gertrude
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Costin
authors.forename: Pranab
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Das
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004247:DNA / Q000032:analysis; D017931:DNA Primers; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010375:Pedigree; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; D015995:Prevalence; D018167:Receptors, Calcitriol / Q000235:genetics*; D012383:Romania / Q000453:epidemiology; D012423:Rural Health; D014820:Vitiligo / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics*; D044465:White People / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D018167:Receptors, Calcitriol; D004247:DNA