The increase of the incidence of autoimmune diseases and the autoimmune pathogenesis of vitiligo were reported.

We studied the frequency of autoimmune disorders and positivity of antinuclear antibody in Korean vitiligo patients.

Vitiligo patients (439 patients) and control subjects (197 patients) were interviewed about their history of autoimmune diseases. Laboratory studies including complete blood cell count, urine analysis, blood chemistry, fasting blood sugar, thyroid function test (T3, free T4, TSH), and antinuclear antibody were performed for the screening of autoimmune disorders.

The diseases associated with vitiligo were microcytic hypochromic anemia (3.64%), non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (2.96%), thyroid disease (3.96%), atrophic gastritis, and alopecia areata. In the control subjects, the associated diseases were microcytic hypochromic anemia (1.62%), non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (4.65%), and thyroid disease (3.49%). These results show that the frequency of autoimmune disorders in vitiligo patients is not significantly higher than that in control subjects. Six (54.5%) out of 11 vitiligo patients with thyroid disease were diagnosed as having thyroid disease for the first time. Four (0.91%) out of 438 vitiligo patients showed positive to antinuclear antibody. Positivity of antinuclear antibody was not higher in vitiligo patients than that in control subjects (1.16%).

Frequency of autoimmune diseases and positive reaction to antinuclear antibody in vitiligo patients were not significantly higher than those in control subjects.