Vitiligo in Diabetic Patients

Vitiligo is a common skin disorder characterized by white patches due to loss of melanin. Its major clinical subtype, non-segmental vitiligo (NSV), represents an autoimmune disorder in which melanocytes are destroyed by an interferon-γ-mediated immune response. NSV has a polygenetic background with susceptibility genes that predispose to other autoimmune-inflammatory diseases including diabetes mellitus type 1. According to most recent systematic reviews and meta-analyses, there is a significant association between vitiligo and diabetes mellitus type 1 but also type 2. Moreover, recent data suggest that early-onset and widespread vitiligo are independent risk factors for the development of diabetes mellitus. Medical practitioners should be alert to the association between vitiligo and diabetes. Screening for diabetes mellitus should be performed in patients with vitiligo, especially in those with NSV, if clinical signs of any metabolic dysfunction are present.