Age of onset in vitiligo: relationship with HLA supratypes.

HLA class I (A, B, C), class II (DR, DQ) histoglobulins and HLA class III (C4A, C4B and Bf) complement factors were analysed in 87 patients with vitiligo and in controls. Two HLA supratypes seem to mark different age of onset of vitiligo: HLA-BfS, C4A3, C4B1, DR5 (W11), DQW3 is characteristic of the pediatric form; while HLA-BfS, C4A3, C4B1, DR7, DQW2 marks the adult form of disease. The importance of defining HLA supratype, not single alleles, is discussed.