title: Profile of vitiligo in the south of Tunisia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Vitiligo is a depigmentation disorder characterized by the loss of melanocytes from cutaneous cells. Its pathogenesis has not yet been clarified.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To study the epidemiologic profile of vitiligo in Tunisia and analyze its characteristics.
  
  
  METHODS
  The clinical presentation of vitiligo was examined in 60 patients [27 males (45%) and 33 females (55%)] attending the Médenine Hospital Center, a large hospital in the south of Tunisia.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The lower limbs were the initial site of onset of vitiligo in the majority of patients (29.8%), followed by the upper limbs, head and neck, trunk, and mucosae. The most common clinical pattern observed was vitiligo vulgaris, followed by focal, acrofacial, mucosal, segmental, and universal types. Leukotrichia was observed in 23%, koebnerization in 18.5%, and a positive family history in 18%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study indicates that vitiligo vulgaris is the most common clinical type observed in the south of Tunisia. There were associated endocrine disorders in some patients, including diabetes, hypothyroidism, and alopecia.
authors.affiliation: Unité de Recherche sur les Composés Antioxydants, Stress Oxydant, Eléments Traces et Maladies Métaboliques, Ecole Supérieure des Sciences et Techniques de la Santé de Tunis, Tunis, Tunisia. Akrem_Jalel@yahoo.fr
authors.forename: Jalel
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Akrem
authors.forename: Aicha
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Baroudi
authors.forename: Taher
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Aichi
authors.forename: Fethi
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Houch
authors.forename: Mohamed Hédi
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Hamdaoui
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D002648:Child; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D017678:Sex Distribution; D014416:Tunisia / Q000453:epidemiology; D014820:Vitiligo / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*