The role of serum vitamin D levels in vitiligo.
BACKGROUND
Vitiligo is a common acquired pigmentary skin disorder. Vitamin D is responsible for skin pigmentation, increases tyrosinase activity and melanogenesis, and exhibits immunoregulatory functions. Low levels of vitamin D are associated with many autoimmune diseases, including systemic lupus, diabetes mellitus, rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis and alopecia areata. Few reports have evaluated serum vitamin D levels in vitiligo patients, and their results are conflicting.


OBJECTIVE
To evaluate serum vitamin D levels of vitiligo patients and compare the results with controls.


METHODS
In total, 50 vitiligo patients and 47 controls were enrolled in the study. Vitamin D levels were measured from blood samples. Group comparisons were performed using appropriate statistical methods.


RESULTS
The patients had lower serum vitamin D levels than the controls, but this difference was not significant (p = 0.570).


CONCLUSIONS
It remains unknown whether vitamin D deficiency causes vitiligo. Larger controlled studies are required to prove whether low circulating vitamin D is a causative factor in vitiligo.
Department of Dermatology, Ağrı State Hospital, Ağrı, Turkey.
Ebru
E
Karagün
Department of Dermatology, Dışkapı Yıldırım Beyazıt Education and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
Can
C
Ergin
Department of Dermatology, Bandırma State Hospital, Balikesir, Turkey.
Sevim
S
Baysak
Department of Medical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey.
Gönül
G
Erden
Department of Dermatology, Education and Research Hospital, Karabük University, Karabük, Turkey.
Habibullah
H
Aktaş
Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine, Mustafa Kemal University, Hatay, Turkey.
Özlem
Ö
Ekiz
autoimmune diseases; etiopathogenesis; vitamin D; vitiligo