DIFFERENCE IN CLINICAL-FEATURES AND HLA ANTIGENS BETWEEN FAMILIAL ANDNONFAMILIAL VITILIGO OF NON-SEGMENTAL TYPE

Of 131 patients with non-segmental vitiligo studied, 29 (22%) had a fa mily history of this disorder. The clinical features and HLA antigens were assessed, and a comparison made between patients with familial an d those with non-familial, non-segmental vitiligo. Familial patients d eveloped skin lesions significantly earlier than non-familial patients . There was a significant association between HLA-B46 and familial non -segmental vitiligo, whereas HLA-A31 and CW4 were found in non-familia l patients. The differences in clinical features and HLA phenotypes su ggest heterogeneity in the pathogenic process between familial and non -familial vitiligo patients.