These findings may explain why treatments are effective in some, but not all, vitiligo patients.

Vitiligo is an acquired depigmenting disorder of uncertain etiology. Anecdotal reports imply that the disease responds to topical vitamin D analogs, suggesting that vitamin D may be involved in its pathogenesis. To investigate the relationship between vitamin D and vitiligo, investigators in China looked at polymorphisms in vitamin D receptor genes in 749 vitiligo patients and 763 control subjects.

Polymorphisms in the BsmI, ApaI, and TaqI alleles were significantly less frequent in vitiligo patients than in controls. A fourth allele, FokI, was not associated with predisposition to vitiligo. In addition, serum 25(OH) vitamin D levels were measured in 171 vitiligo patients and 150 controls. There was a dose–response relationship between higher 25(OH) vitamin D levels and protection from vitiligo

CITATION(S):

Li K et al. The association of vitamin D receptor gene polymorphisms and serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels with generalized vitiligo. Br J Dermatol 2012 Oct; 167:815.