Serum levels of macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) were measured with enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in 60 patients with vitiligo vulgaris (case group) and 30 healthy individuals (control group).The case group was further divided into two subgroups:progressive stage (n =30) and stable stage (n =30).The association of MIF level with vitiligo area and severity index (VASI) score of disease was analyzed.The results showed that the serum MIF levels in patients with progressive stage were significantly higher than those in stable stage and in healthy controls (79.8 ± 38.0) μg/L vs.(48.4 ± 17.6) μg/L vs.(29.6 ± 22.1) μg/L,respectively,both P ＜ 0.001.Serum MIF levels were positively correlated with VASI scores of patients (r =0.48,P ＜0.001).The results indicate that MIF may be involved in the pathogenesis of vitiligo vulgaris.