Authors : Sushil Pande, Madhur Gupta
Volume : 7
Issue : 2
Year : 2017
Page No : 89-91
Vitiligo vulgaris is an autoimmune disease of the skin characterized by depigmented macules. Apart from autoimmune etiology, damage to melanocytes by oxidative stress has been postulated as one of the causative factors in pathogenesis of vitiligo. The current study was conducted at our tertiary care center to estimate oxidative stress in the blood of patients suffering from vitiligo. A total of 40 patients were included after informed consent. All treatment-naïve patients of vitiligo of >15 years of age of either sex and those patients who have not received systemic treatment in the last 3months for vitiligo or topical treatment in the last 2 weeks were included. Detailed history was taken and clinical assessment of vitiligo was done. Venous blood samples were collected for estimation of Malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and Glutathione Peroxidase (GPx) which is considered as markers for oxidative stress in the blood. Majority of vitiligo cases belonged to younger age groups. A total of 60% cases were in the age group of 16–25years followed by 20% in 26–35years. A total of 50% cases were having active or unstable disease while 50% cases were having stable disease. As assessed by MDA, 35/36(97.22%) was found to have raised oxidant stress. As assessed by GPX, all i.e. 36/36 patients were (100%) were found to have raised oxidant stress. As assessed by SOD, 34/36 (94.44%) were found to have raised oxidant stress. Mean values of MDA in our patients were 4.3±2.75SD nmol/ml. Mean values of GPx in our patients were 2864±1008SD u/l. Mean values of SOD were 97.11±91.46SD u/ml. Mean values of MDA, GPX and SOD in matched controls were 0.91±0.21SD nmol/ml, 6058.60±1694SD u/l and 189.43±23.57SD u/ml respectively. As compared to controls, increased MDA levels and reduced GPX and SOD levels were suggestive of oxidative stress in patients of vitiligo in our study. More studies of relatively larger sample size are required to further confirm these variations of MDA, SOD and GPx in the blood.