Vitiligo

Abstract

Vitiligo occurs in Northern Europe in one of 200 people. The disease can cause significant psychological stress for the affected individual. These patients generate and accumulate massive amounts of H(2)O(2)- and peroxynitrite in the epidermal compartment. Consequently many proteins are oxidized or nitrated, leading in turn to partial or complete loss of functionality. Moreover, presence of DNA damage in the skin as well as in plasma has been shown, while apoptosis is not enhanced. Induction of DNA repair is associated with up-regulated functioning p53 protein. Considering possible genetic predisposition and /or spontaneous mutations, autoimmune reactions in the disease are put forward in the context of oxidative stress. In addition a review of recent and novel treatment modalities including the role of oxidative stress reduction and combined climatotherapy at the Dead Sea in a group are discussed.

Beruflich bedingte Leukoderme und Vitiligo

“…Eine Autoimmungenese scheint nach heutigem Forschungsstand wahrscheinlich, da die Vitiligo häufig mit dem Auftreten von Autoantikörpern der Schilddrüse und des Magens assoziiert ist. Beruflicher Kontakt zu einer Vielzahl chemischer Substanzen kann lokale Depigmentierungen (Leukoderme) als auch systemische Depigmentierungen mit Vitiligo-artiger Verteilung hervorrufen [24,48]. Bereits Anfang des 20.…”