title: Childhood- and later-onset vitiligo have diverse epidemiologic and clinical characteristics.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Vitiligo onset during childhood is common. There are limited data regarding childhood-onset vitiligo.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We sought to provide an epidemiologic and clinical comparison between childhood- and later-onset vitiligo.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two groups of patients were included in this cross-sectional study. Consecutive patients examined at the Vitiligo Clinic of Andreas Sygros Hospital for Skin and Venereal Diseases, Athens, Greece, from January 2005 to December 2009 with a disease onset before the age of 12 years were included in the childhood-onset group. The later-onset group included randomly selected patients who were examined at the same period and had a disease onset after the age of 12 years. After clinical examination, a standardized questionnaire was completed for each patient.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In all, 126 patients were included in the childhood-onset and 107 patients in the later-onset group. Childhood-onset vitiligo: (1) involved different sites at initial presentation, (2) included more cases of segmental type, and (3) was characterized by a higher prevalence of allergic diseases and a lower prevalence of thyroid diseases. Longer duration of disease and a positive family history of thyroid disease were associated with the presence of thyroid disease only in the childhood-onset group. In the later-onset group, only female sex was associated with the presence of thyroid disease.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study was conducted in a hospital specializing in skin diseases and a selection bias toward more severe vitiligo cases is possible.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Childhood-onset vitiligo had distinct epidemiologic and clinical characteristics, compared with later-onset disease.
authors: First Department of Dermatology, University of Athens School of Medicine, Andreas Sygros Hospital for Skin and Venereal Diseases, Athens, Greece. electra.nicol@gmail.com
authors: Electra
authors: E
authors: Nicolaidou
authors: Christina
authors: C
authors: Antoniou
authors: Alexandra
authors: A
authors: Miniati
authors: Eirini
authors: E
authors: Lagogianni
authors: Athina
authors: A
authors: Matekovits
authors: Alex
authors: A
authors: Stratigos
authors: Andreas
authors: A
authors: Katsambas
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017668:Age of Onset; D002648:Child; D015897:Comorbidity; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000276:immunology; D013315:Stress, Psychological; D013959:Thyroid Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology; D014820:Vitiligo / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D055815:Young Adult