Project Description

Summary:

Vitiligo is an acquired idiopathic skin disorder characterized by pigmentation of the skin and mucous membrane. Patients with vitiligo often experience discrimination and stigma in Bangladesh. Due to the belief that it is contagious, people avoid contact, further isolating them. Moreover, it was reported that the majority of them suffer from marital problems because vitiligo evokes misconceptions and prejudice within relationships. Information regarding vitiligo is limited, and there are no recognized epidemiological data on the prevalence and incidence of vitiligo in Bangladesh; therefore, this cross-sectional study aimed to provide insight into the clinical-epidemiological characteristics of patients with vitiligo in Bangladesh.

A total of 539 vitiligo cases confirmed by detailed history, clinical findings, and Wood’s lamp test were included, of which 53.1% were females, and the mean age of onset was 4.8 years. On query, 20% provided a family history of vitiligo, and 4.6% had autoimmune diseases, of whom 3.7% had thyroid disease. The common sites of vitiligo are the face and limbs. Of all the cases, 89.6% had nonsegmental vitiligo, and leukotrichia and Koebner phenomena were reported by 17% and 33.2% of the patients with vitiligo, respectively. Triggering factors, such as psychological stress and exposure to chemicals, were reported by none of the patients, and physical trauma was reported by 21.3%. Moreover, 78.8% of the patients had their vitiligo in progressive mode, 51.4% of respondents did not seek any treatment, and 44.9% of them relied on both topical and systemic approaches of treatment for vitiligo. None of the patients underwent epidermal grafting and surgical treatments

Our study results suggest that increasing awareness and appropriate counseling to seek treatment for vitiligo are crucial to prevent further progression of the disease in this study population.

Full text link: Clinico-epidemiological characteristics of patients with vitiligo in Bangladesh – PMC (nih.gov)

Keywords: Vitiligo, Bangladesh, Clinico-epidemiology, Stigma, Skin disorder

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