Endocrine Abstracts

Introduction: In Russia, full-scale studies aimed at assessing the incidence of endocrine autoimmune diseases (eAID) in adult patients with vitiligo have not been conducted.

Objectives: analysis of occurrence of eAID in patients with vitiligo.

Methods: 1) The first part of the study included 39 patients aged 19-73 years with endocrine pathology and vitiligo, who were initially examined in Endocrinology Research Centre. 2)The second part of the study included 26 patients aged 19-71 years with vitiligo who were initially examined in Moscow Scientific and Practical Center of Dermatovenereology and Cosmetology.

Results: 1) eAID were diagnosed in 85% of cases (n= 33): 38,5% of patients (n= 15) had one eAID, 46,1% of patients (n= 18) had multiple eAID, other participants (n= 6, 15,4%) had antibodies to thyroid or insular apparatus of pancreas without disruption of their functions. Autoimmune leison of thyroid (ALT) was diagnosed in 69% of cases (n= 27, of these n=19 (70%) – primary hypothyroidism and n=8 (30%) – Graves’ disease (GD)), Addison’s disease was diagnosed in 28% of cases (n= 11), type 1 diabetes mellitus was diagnosed in 21% of cases (n= 8), hypoparathyroidism was diagnosed in 13% of cases (n= 5), hypergonadotropic hypogonadism was diagnosed in 10% of cases (n= 4), endocrine ophthalmopathy was diagnosed in 10% of cases (n= 4). Multiple eAID were presented by autoimmune polyglandular syndrome (APS)-2 in 61% of cases (n= 11) and APS-1 in 22% of cases (n= 4), 3 patients (17%) had GD in combination with endocrine ophthalmopathy. Vitiligo preceded the manifestation of eAID in 30% of cases (n= 10) and developed simultaneously with eAID in 12% of cases (n= 4). 97% of patients (n= 38) had the non-segmental vitiligo. One patient (3%) with APS-2 (Addison’s disease, primary hypothyroidism, autoimmune gastritis) had universal vitiligo. 2) ALT was found in 15% of patients (n= 4, of these n=3 (75%) – primary hypothyroidism and n=1 (25%) – GD), other eAID were not detected. Carriage of antibodies to thyroid or insular apparatus of pancreas without disruption of their functions was detected in 19% of patients (n= 5). Vitiligo preceded the manifestation of eAID in 50% of cases (n= 2) and developed simultaneously with eAID in 25% of cases (n= 1). 96% of patients (n= 25) had the non-segmental vitiligo. One patient (4%) without manifest eAID and antibodies carriage had segmental vitiligo.

Conclusion: The non-segmental vitiligo is most often associated with the development of eAID, especially ALT. The development of vitiligo precedes the manifestation of eAID in 30-50% of cases, which necessitates a regular screening examination of these patients.