Background: Low vitamin D levels have been associated with several autoimmune diseases. Vitiligo could be associated with low vitamin D levels.
Objective: To determine the level of serum vitamin D in vitiligo patients compared to controls and reveal the possible association of vitamin levels with the pathogenesis of vitiligo.
Patients and methods: A case-controlled study was conducted. After excluding factors that may affect serum vitamin D levels, blood samples were taken from vitiligo patients and controls. The association between vitamin D levels and various vitiligo subgroups (duration of vitiligo, site of onset, age, etc) was measured and correlated.
Results: A total of 150 vitiligo patients, 90 (60%) males with a mean age of 30.6 ± 11.4 years, were recruited. The study also had 150 age- and gender-matched vitiligo-free control subjects. There was no significant difference in median serum vitamin D levels between the cases and the controls (P = .25). The serum levels of vitamin D of the vitiligo patients were found to be lower in males (P = .01), the younger age group (P = .01), and patients not treated with ultraviolet (UV) treatment (P = .01).
Conclusion: There is no difference between the vitamin D levels of the vitiligo patients and the control subjects. However, deficiency of 25(OH)D levels within the vitiligo subgroups may be linked to younger age, male gender, short duration of vitiligo, and non-use of phototherapy.
Keywords: 25(OH)D; Saudi Arabia; autoimmunity; depigmentation; vitamin D; vitiligo.
© The Author(s) 2015.