Circulating autoantibodies and autoimmune comorbidities in vitiligo patients: a multicenter Italian study.

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. CONCLUSION The prevalence of autoimmune comorbidities and circulating autoantibodies in this study was in agreement with other surveys conducted on Caucasian patients.