The analysis of genetics and associated autoimmune diseases in Chinese vitiligo patients.
Vitiligo is a common skin and hair depigmentary disorder that results from selective destruction of melanocytes. It occurs in a typical multifactorial, polygenic inheritance. Several studies have indicated that vitiligo is associated with some autoimmune diseases. In this paper we examined 6,516 vitiligo patients including clinical characteristics, familial involvement, and their association with other autoimmune diseases. Compared with sporadic vitiligo probands, familial vitiligo probands have earlier age onset and longer disease duration. The prevalences of four autoimmune diseases namely rheumatoid arthritis, chronic urticaria, alopecia areata and psoriasis, were significantly elevated in generalized vitiligo probands and their first-degree relatives. The prevalences of chronic urticaria, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis were much higher in familial generalized vitiligo probands. In addition, the prevalences of diabetes mellitus and asthma were also higher in familial vitiligo probands. These findings indicate that generalized vitiligo may share common genetic aetiologic links with other autoimmune diseases, and the genetic component of familial generalized vitiligo is stronger.
Zhang
Zheng
Z
Institute of Dermatology and Department of Dermatology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Anhui Medical University, 81 Meishan Road, 230032 Hefei, Anhui, People's Republic of China.
Xu
Sheng-Xin
SX
Zhang
Feng-Yu
FY
Yin
Xian-Yong
XY
Yang
Sen
S
Xiao
Feng-Li
FL
Du
Wen-Hui
WH
Wang
Jian-Feng
JF
Lv
Yong-Mei
YM
Tang
Hua-Yang
HY
Zhang
Xue-Jun
XJ
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000506:Alopecia Areata / Q000208:ethnology / Q000235:genetics; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000208:ethnology / Q000235:genetics; D001249:Asthma / Q000453:epidemiology; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000235:genetics*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000208:ethnology / Q000235:genetics; D014581:Urticaria / Q000208:ethnology / Q000235:genetics; D014820:Vitiligo / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000235:genetics*; D055815:Young Adult