NORMAL-RANGE PLASMA-CATECHOLAMINES IN PATIENTS WITH GENERALIZED AND ACROFACIAL VITILIGO - PRELIMINARY-REPORT

Background: There is a body of evidence that neural factors may play a role in the pathogenesis of vitiligo. Objective: We look for the exis tence of a relationship between vitiligo and monoaminergic systems. Me thods: We use high-pressure liquid chromatography to measure the plasm a level of catecholamines, their precursor 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine and their metabolites 3-methoxy-4-hydroxy phenylglycol (MHPG), normeta nephrine (NMN), metanephrine and homovanillic acid (HVA). Forty patien ts with the generalized (n = 31) and acrofacial (n = 9) types of vitil igo are studied. Results: Significant differences are not found either between males and females or between the entire group of patients and the controls. HVA and NMN levels significantly correlate with age (r = 0.332, p < 0.05, and r = 0.331, p < 0.05, respectively). Significant correlations are also seen either between noradrenergic or between do paminergic parameters (norepinephrine vs. MHPG, r = 0.326, p < 0.05; d opamine vs, HVA, r = 0.540, p < 0.01). When the patients are grouped o n the basis of vitiligo type or age of disease onset, the plasma mean levels of the neural compounds are always nonsignificantly different f rom these of the controls, However, both catecholamines and metabolite s show higher, although not significant, concentrations in patients wi th a shorter duration of disease. Conclusion: Monoaminergic systems se em unlikely to be related to vitiligo, at least to the generalized and acrofacial types. However, variations cannot be excluded in genetical ly predisposed individuals during the onset or the active phases of di sease.