International Journal of Research in Medical Sciences | December 2018 | Vol 6 | Issue 12 Page 3801 International Journal of Research in Medical Sciences Anaba EL et al. Int J Res Med Sci. 2018 Dec;6(12):3801-3806 www.msjonline.org pISSN 2320-6071 | eISSN 2320-6012 Original Research Article Epidemiology and clinical profile of vitiligo in Ibadan, Nigeria Ehiaghe L. Anaba 1 *, Adekunle O. George 2 , Adebola O. Ogunbiyi 2 INTRODUCTION Vitiligo is an acquired skin disorder characterized by sharply demarcated depigmented lesions of variable sizes and shape which have the tendency to increase in size during the patient’s lifetime. 1 The course of vitiligo is unpredictable with periods of remission and exacerbation. 2 The natural history is that of slow progress, but it may stabilize or exacerbate rapidly. 1 De- pigmentation is more apparent in individuals with darker skin tones. The spotted appearance of vitiligo can be traumatizing and stigmatizing. 3,4 Prevalence of vitiligo varies from country to country; varying from 0.09% to 2.8%. 5-8 Vitiligo can occur at any age, but peak incidence is in the second or third decades of life. 9 Average age of onset of vitiligo is before twenty years in at least half of adult cases and five years in children. 10 Vitiligo is generally asymptomatic although, itching or burning of the vitiligo patches may be experienced. 1,11 Lesions usually appear on sun-exposed or hyperpigmented areas or on sites of stretch and pressure (face, dorsum of hands and fingers, external genitalia, knees and elbows) though any part of the body can be affected. 1 The aim of this study was to document the epidemiology, clinical (age of onset, location, severity, class of vitiligo) 1 Department of Medicine, Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Lagos, Nigeria 2 Department of Medicine, University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria Received: 18 October 2018 Accepted: 13 November 2018 *Correspondence: Dr. Ehiaghe L. Anaba, E-mail: ehianaba@yahoo.com Copyright: © the author(s), publisher and licensee Medip Academy. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License, which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. ABSTRACT Background: Vitiligo patients are seen routinely in the Dermatology Outpatient Clinic of the University College Hospital Ibadan, Nigeria. However, the epidemiologic and clinical profile of these patients is not documented. The aim of this study was to document the clinical (age of onset, location, severity, class of vitiligo) and sociodemographic characteristics of these patients. Methods: This is a retrospective descriptive study of patients treated for vitiligo from January 2005 to December 2009 at the University College Hospital (UCH) Ibadan dermatology outpatient clinic. Patient records were retrieved and a study proforma was used to assess patient’s information. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 16. Results: Over the study period, 130 vitiligo patients seen but only 111 case notes were retrieved. The mean age at onset in children was 7.8±4.0 and 34.6±17.1 in adults, M:F was 1:1. The commonest type of vitiligo was acrofacial, area of onset was the face/scalp in 59.2%, re-pigmentation was reported in 66%, active lesions in 59.7%, severity of vitiligo was <9% in 90%, Vitiligo was in visible (exposed) parts of the body 84.7% and asymptomatic in 92.7%. Conclusions: The clinical profile of vitiligo in Ibadan, Nigeria is similar to that observed in other places with only females having a genital onset and acrofacial vitiligo being the dominant type seen. Also, treatment modality varies between children and adults. Keywords: Clinical profile, Epidemiology, Nigeria, Vitiligo DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.18203/2320-6012.ijrms20184873