It is often said that individuals with vitiligo are at a higher risk of experiencing thyroid dysfunction. What do studies say about this? Let's explore together the perspective of scientific literature on this matter.
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Do individuals with vitiligo have an increased risk of developing thyroid problems?
Summary
Published November 26, 2024,
updated on November 26, 2024,
by
Pauline, Head of Scientific Communication
—
4 min read
Are thyroid diseases more common in people with vitiligo?
Vitiligo is a depigmenting skin disease that affects approximately 1% of the global population. It can affect adults and children alike, regardless of their gender or skin color. Most often, vitiligo manifests before the age of 30 and then progresses gradually. The characteristic white patches of this disease are due to the loss of melanocytes, the cells that synthesize skin pigment. Autoimmunity is suspected to play a major role in the etiology of vitiligo , as well as certain genetic factors.
Several studies have shown that individuals with vitiligo have an increased risk of developing a thyroid problem.
A recent review on this subject, which compiled 48 articles published between 1968 and 2012, can be particularly cited. These articles were interested in the existing link between vitiligo and thyroid problems. If we piece together the scientific studies, in the end, over 5000 patients were included in the review, representing a very large sample. These research efforts have established an average prevalence of thyroid diseases among patients affected by vitiligo, as well as the associated relative risk. This is a statistical measure that assesses the risk of an event occurring, in this case, the development of a thyroid disease, in one group, here those affected by vitiligo, compared to another, here those not presenting with vitiligo. The analysis of the 48 studies by the researchers shows a strong correlation between vitiligo and thyroid diseases.
15.1%
Patients with vitiligo present with thyroid disease.
1.9
There is a higher risk of developing a thyroid disease when one is affected by vitiligo.
This increased risk primarily concerns autoimmune thyroid diseases, which are particularly common in individuals with vitiligo. Indeed, the same review estimated the prevalence of autoimmune thyroid diseases, such as Hashimoto's thyroiditis or Graves' disease, at 14.3% among individuals with vitiligo. It can be inferred that, among those suffering from both vitiligo and a thyroid disease, the thyroid disease is of an autoimmune origin in 94.7% of cases. Furthermore, scientists have estimated that individuals with vitiligo are 2.5 times more likely to develop an autoimmune thyroid disease than others.
Furthermore, it was noted in the journal that 20.8% of individuals with vitiligo possessed thyroid-specific autoantibodies, that is, immunological markers indicating autoimmunity. More specifically, these autoantibodies are "abnormal" antibodies that target the body and attack the thyroid gland. Their presence generally indicates an autoimmune disease of the thyroid.
The correlation between vitiligo and thyroid diseases, particularly those of autoimmune origin, is not surprising when considering that vitiligo itself has a strong autoimmune component. In both cases, the immune system mistakenly attacks the body's cells. This similarity is largely based on shared genetic factors, such as the presence of specific alleles of the HLA (Human Leukocyte Antigen) complex, which predispose to several autoimmune diseases. A recent study published by SPRITZ and his team has indeed highlighted several shared genetic associations between vitiligo and certain autoimmune diseases, including thyroid diseases.
Genes associated with vitiligo and certain autoimmune diseases.
Source: SPRITZ R. & al. The Genetic Basis of Vitiligo. Journal of Investigative Dermatology (2021).
Given the correlation between vitiligo and thyroid issues, health authorities strongly recommend screening for thyroid diseases in patients with vitiligo.
Sources
SPULS P. & al. The prevalence of thyroid disease in patients with vitiligo: a systematic review. British Journal of Dermatology. (2012).
BORRADORI L. & al. Dermatologie et infections sexuellement transmissibles. Elsevier Masson (2017).
EZZEDINE K. & al. Vitiligo: A Review. Dermatology (2020).
HARRIS J. & al. Vitiligo: Mechanisms of Pathogenesis and Treatment. Annual Review of Immunology (2020).
SPRITZ R. & al. The Genetic Basis of Vitiligo. Journal of Investigative Dermatology (2021).
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