The burden of vitiligo: Patient characteristics associated with quality of life

BackgroundVitiligo is commonly regarded as a harmless cosmetic skin problem in Western societies, and the importance of treating patients with vitiligo is often underestimated.ObjectiveWe sought to determine the clinical and sociodemographic variables that adversely affect the quality of life in adult patients with generalized vitiligo so that these variables can be considered in the treatment and care.MethodsA total of 245 adult patients with generalized vitiligo completed two quality-of-life questionnaires (the Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short-form General Health Survey and the Skindex-29). Physicians assessed sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of these patients.ResultsDark skin type, vitiligo located on the chest, and treatment in the past appeared to have an adverse impact on the psychosocial domains of quality of life. Moreover, itch was reported by 20% of the patients in this study.LimitationsPsychiatric comorbidity was not evaluated in the analyses.ConclusionGeneralized vitiligo is a serious skin disorder with an adverse impact on the emotional state, comparable with that of other major skin diseases.