Comorbid diseases of vitiligo: A 10-year cross-sectional retrospective study of an urban US population

Background: Vitiligo is associated with medical conditions, primarily autoimmune disorders; however, only a few studies in the United States have investigated these associations. Objective: Our purpose was to investigate the diseases associated with vitiligo in the New York, New York, population and evaluate if these associations differ by race/ethnicity and sex. Methods: In this retrospective study, we analyzed data collected from the medical records of 1487 vitiligo patients seen at New York University during a 10-year period. Results: Vitiligo patients had a statistically significant higher prevalence of hypothyroidism, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura, seronegative arthritis, pernicious anemia, myasthenia gravis, inflammatory bowel disease, lymphoma, and systemic lupus erythematosus. Rates of comorbid autoimmune diseases varied by race and sex. Limitations: Medical charts did not consistently report race/ethnicity, type of vitiligo, and total body surface area affected. Information from nondermatology medical visits was also included. Conclusion: This study revealed multiple new disease associations for vitiligo, including multiple sclerosis, idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura, and lymphoma, as well as confirmed previously reported associations with other autoimmune diseases, the most common being hypothyroidism followed by rheumatoid arthritis. Associations did vary by race/ethnicity and sex.