Kirsten C Webb1, Sarah Lyon2, Beatrice Nardone3, Dennis P West3, Roopal V Kundu1. 1. Department of Dermatology, Loyola University, Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, Illinois. 2. Department of Dermatology, University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois. 3. Department of Dermatology, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois.
Abstract
Background: Vitiligo vulgaris, an acquired disease related to autoimmune activity directed against melanocytes, is a common disorder of pigmentation affecting up to one percent of the population. Several autoimmune disorders are reported to improve during pregnancy-a state of relative immunosuppression. Objectives: To assess self-reported changes in vitiligo disease activity that occurred during pregnancy. Methods: A survey of 24 subjects with vitiligo was conducted by telephone using questions that pertained to vitiligo history, pregnancy history, and vitiligo disease activity prior to, during, and after pregnancy. Additional questions pertained to demographics, history of other autoimmune disease, and family history of vitiligo. Results: 18 of 24 subjects (75%) reported stable or improvement in vitiligo activity during pregnancy. Of these 18 subjects, five (27%) had discontinued vitiligo therapy during their pregnancies. Conclusion: The majority of patients surveyed reported either stable or improved vitiligo activity during pregnancy. These results support a protective effect exerted by the state of pregnancy against changing or progressing depigmentation characteristic of vitiligo vulgaris in the non-pregnant state.
Background: Vitiligo vulgaris, an acquired disease related to autoimmune activity directed against melanocytes, is a common disorder of pigmentation affecting up to one percent of the population. Several autoimmune disorders are reported to improve during pregnancy-a state of relative immunosuppression. Objectives: To assess self-reported changes in vitiligo disease activity that occurred during pregnancy. Methods: A survey of 24 subjects with vitiligo was conducted by telephone using questions that pertained to vitiligo history, pregnancy history, and vitiligo disease activity prior to, during, and after pregnancy. Additional questions pertained to demographics, history of other autoimmune disease, and family history of vitiligo. Results: 18 of 24 subjects (75%) reported stable or improvement in vitiligo activity during pregnancy. Of these 18 subjects, five (27%) had discontinued vitiligo therapy during their pregnancies. Conclusion: The majority of patients surveyed reported either stable or improved vitiligo activity during pregnancy. These results support a protective effect exerted by the state of pregnancy against changing or progressing depigmentation characteristic of vitiligo vulgaris in the non-pregnant state.
Authors: Eun Bong Lee; Roy Fleischmann; Stephen Hall; Bethanie Wilkinson; John D Bradley; David Gruben; Tamas Koncz; Sriram Krishnaswami; Gene V Wallenstein; Chuanbo Zang; Samuel H Zwillich; Ronald F van Vollenhoven Journal: N Engl J Med Date: 2014-06-19 Impact factor: 91.245