Study of total antioxidants status in Indian vitiligo patients

Background: Vitiligo is an acquired, idiopathic disorder characterized by milky white patches devoid of identifiable melanocytes. Despite much research, the precise etiology of vitiligo is not clear, but it has become quite clear in recent years that complex genetic, neural, immunological and autocytotoxic mechanisms play a role in its pathogenesis. In recent studies, a defective antioxidant defense is also postulated in the pathophysiology of vitiligo. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the role of the oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of vitiligo and also to support the proposed theory which suggests that the destruction of melanocytes in vitiligo is induced by increased oxidative stress which in turn activates an autoimmune response. Methods: A total of 80 patients of both sexes with vitiligo and 40 control subjects were enrolled in this study. Sera from patients and controls were assayed for total antioxidant status by antioxidant assay kit. The collected data were analyzed by SPSS version 16. Results: The mean serum total antioxidant status (TAS) level in the patient group was significantly lower than in the control group. There was no significant relationship between TAS and sex of patients. The same findings were observed within the control group. Regarding the activity of the vitiligo, the mean TAS in patients with progressive disease (active vitiligo) was significantly lower than in the control group. In patients with stable disease also the mean TAS level was significantly lower than in the control group. There was Egyptian Dermatology Online Journal Vol. 7 No 1:2, June 2011 Page 2 of 7 http://www.edoj.org.eg no significant difference in mean TAS level between active and stable vitiligo patients. Conclusion: We conclude that there is impairment in the antioxidant system in vitiligo, leading to free radical mediated destruction of melanocytes or dysregulation of melanogenesis which may activates an autoimmune response. Thus antioxidants may be beneficial as therapeutic agents in vitiligo.