ORGAN-SPECIFIC AUTOANTIBODIES IN VITILIGO PATIENTS AND THEIR RELATIVES

Background. Recent data have supported an autoimmune etiology of vitil igo. Genetic factors also seem to play an important role in this disor der. The purpose of this study was to determine the presence and frequ ency of organ-specific autoantibodies in vitiligo patients and their r elatives. Methods. Twenty patients with vitiligo and two first or seco nd degree relatives of each patient were interviewed and their sera an alyzed for the presence of antithyroglobulin (ATg), antithyroid micros omal (ATM), antiparietal cell (APC), and antiadrenal (AAd) autoantibod ies. The sera of 20 normal patients were used as control. Results. A s ignificantly increased frequency of ATg, ATM, and APC antibodies was f ound in vitiligo patients when compared to normal controls. First and second degree relatives had significantly increased frequencies of ATg and ATM. A high incidence of autoimmune/endocrine diseases was found in the patients' relatives, including a 25% prevalence of vitiligo. Co nclusions. These findings not only support an autoimmune etiology for vitiligo, but also highlight the strong genetic contribution to this p igmentary disorder.