title: Circulating autoantibodies and autoimmune comorbidities in vitiligo patients: a multicenter Italian study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Autoimmune comorbidities and circulating autoantibodies have been observed in vitiligo patients, but differences in rate are present according to countries in which the studies were performed, perhaps owing to ethnic diversities or different trigger factors.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To estimate the prevalence of circulating autoantibodies and overt autoimmune diseases in a fairly large sample of Italian vitiligo patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  175 outpatients affected by vitiligo and referred to nine dermatological centers were included in the study. Patients were offered routine blood test, serological testing for thyroid function and search for autoantibodies.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At least one circulating autoantibody was detected in 61 (41.8%) of 146 subjects who underwent laboratory tests. Anti-thyroperoxidase (25.6%), anti-thyroglobulin (23.4%), antinuclear antibodies (16.8%) and anti-gastric parietal cell antibodies (7.8%) were the most noticed autoantibodies. 74 (41.5%) autoimmune comorbidities, mainly autoimmune thyroiditis (37%), were reported.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prevalence of autoimmune comorbidities and circulating autoantibodies in this study was in agreement with other surveys conducted on Caucasian patients.
authors.affiliation: Outpatient Department of Dermatology, District No. 6, Health Local Unit, Taranto, Italy.
authors.forename: Vito
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Ingordo
authors.forename: Simone
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cazzaniga
authors.forename: Beatrice
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Raone
authors.forename: Maria Donata
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Digiuseppe
authors.forename: Maria Letizia
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Musumeci
authors.forename: Dario
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Fai
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pellegrino
authors.forename: Enrico
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pezzarossa
authors.forename: Vito
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Di Lernia
authors.forename: Vincenzo Claudio
authors.initials: VC
authors.lastname: Battarra
authors.forename: Riccardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sirna
authors.forename: Annalisa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Patrizi
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Naldi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood*; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D015897:Comorbidity; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D015995:Prevalence; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D017678:Sex Distribution; D014820:Vitiligo / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies