Increased risk of subclinical atherosclerosis and metabolic syndrome in patients with vitiligo: a real association or a coincidence?

Inflammatory and autoimmune skin diseases such as vitiligo may be associated with systemic disorders, including endocrine and cardiovascular diseases, due to some similarities in the pathogenesis. It was aimed to evaluate metabolic syndrome and subclinical atherosclerosis in patients with vitiligo. Seventy patients with nonsegmental vitiligo and 70 age-matched and gender-matched healthy controls participated in the study. These participants were investigated for metabolic syndrome criteria. The mean intima-media thickness of the common carotid artery (MIMT-CCA) of the subjects was measured for assessment of subclinical atherosclerosis. Metabolic syndrome and subclinical atherosclerosis were significantly more frequent in vitiligo patients compared with the controls (P = .006 and P = .002, respectively). In addition, metabolic syndrome and subclinical atherosclerosis had positive, significant correlations with the severity and duration of vitiligo (P = .031 and r = .482; P < .01, respectively). Our study suggested that patients with vitiligo, especially those with more chronic and severe disease or concomitant metabolic syndrome, are at a higher risk of developing cardiovascular diseases. Therefore, early diagnosis and treatment of metabolic syndrome in patients with vitiligo to prevent cardiovascular complications were recommended.