Prevalence of Vitiligo and Associated Comorbidities in Korea.
10.3349/ymj.2015.56.3.719
- Author:
Hemin LEE
1
;
Mu Hyoung LEE
;
Dong Youn LEE
;
Hee Young KANG
;
Ki Ho KIM
;
Gwang Seong CHOI
;
Jeonghyun SHIN
;
Hee Jung LEE
;
Dong Hyun KIM
;
Tae Heung KIM
;
Ai Young LEE
;
Seung Chul LEE
;
Sanghoon LEE
;
Kyoung Wan KIM
;
Seung Kyung HANN
;
Chul Jong PARK
;
Sang Ho OH
Author Information
1. Department of Dermatology, Severance Hospital, Cutaneous Biology Research Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. oddung93@yuhs.ac
- Publication Type:Original Article ; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
- Keywords:
Vitiligo;
epidemiology;
prevalence;
autoimmune diseases
- MeSH:
Adult;
Aged;
Autoimmune Diseases/*epidemiology/immunology;
Comorbidity;
Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1/epidemiology;
Female;
Humans;
Male;
Middle Aged;
Population Surveillance;
Prevalence;
Republic of Korea/epidemiology;
Socioeconomic Factors;
Thyroid Diseases/epidemiology;
Vitiligo/*epidemiology
- From:Yonsei Medical Journal
2015;56(3):719-725
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
PURPOSE: Vitiligo prevalence and its associated comorbidities rate have been reported variably among different populations. We aimed to determine the prevalence of vitiligo in Korea along with the baseline rate of comorbidities and compared the risks to the general population using hospital visit information of the total population in Korea. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We assessed demographic characteristics of vitiligo patients in Korean population from 2009 to 2011 in a nationwide data from Health Insurance Review Assessment Service. Patients who had at least one visit to Korea's primary, secondary, or tertiary referral hospitals with International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision, Clinical Modification diagnosis code for vitiligo were identified. As a supplementary study, comorbidities associated with vitiligo were selected for further review to calculate relative risks compared to the general population. RESULTS: The annual prevalence of vitiligo determined by hospital-visiting rate in Korea was 0.12% to 0.13% over a three year period. In sync with other previous epidemiological studies, there was bimodal distribution among the age groups and no difference between genders. Also, vitiligo in Korean population was associated with various autoimmune/non-autoimmune diseases such as thyroiditis, atopic dermatitis, and psoriasis. CONCLUSION: This study was by far the most comprehensive review on prevalence of vitiligo using a data of total population in Korea. The prevalence is within a range of those reported in previous literatures, and increased risk of comorbidities such as thyroid diseases and psoriasis in vitiligo might aid clinicians in the initial work up of vitiligo patients and concurrent follow ups.
