Epidemiology of Vitiligo - A Dual Population-Based Approach

Abstract

Background: Most epidemiological data on vitiligo refer to selected environments or focus on the prevalence of comorbidity unrelated to the population.

Objective: Aim of the study was to gain robust representative prevalence data on vitiligo and on associated dermatologic comorbidity in the German adult population.

Methods: A dual population-based approach was applied with 1) primary data obtained between 2004 and 2014 from dermatological exams in the general working population; 2) claims data from a large German statutory health insurance, reference year 2010.

Results: In the working cohort (N = 121,783; 57% male; mean age 43 years), the prevalence of vitiligo was 0.77% (0.84% in men; 0.67% in women). In the claims data (N = 1,619,678; 38% male; mean age 46 years), prevalence was 0.17% (0.14% in men; 0.18% in women). In the working cohort, vitiligo was significantly more common in people with fair skin type, ephelides and port-wine stains and less common in people with acne and solar lentigines. In the claims data, vitiligo was associated with a variety of skin conditions, eg, atopic dermatitis, psoriasis and alopecia areata.

Conclusion: The resulting discrepancy of claims vs primary data between 0.17% and 0.77% indicates the most probable spectrum of vitiligo prevalence in Germany. It is more frequently observed in clinical exams than recorded in claims data, indicating a marked proportion of people seeking no medical help. Such nonattendance may result from the fact that many treatment options do not provide satisfying benefits to the patients.

Keywords: comorbidity; health services research; pigmentation; prevalence; public health research.

Figure 1

Point-prevalence of vitiligo in the working cohort (N = 121,783) and one-year prevalence in the claims data (N = 1,619,678), stratified by age and gender.