Relationship Between Helicobacter Pylori Infection and Vitiligo: A Prospective Study

    July 2014 in “ American Journal of Clinical Dermatology ”
    Zeynal Doğan, Pınar Gökmirza Özdemir, Meral Ekşioğlu, Levent Filik
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    Studysummary This study observed higher rates of H. pylori infection in vitiligo patients compared to those with telogen effluvium, though no significant association was found with vitiligo disease activity or pattern. Our plain-language summary of this paper — not a Tressless recommendation.
    The study investigated the link between Helicobacter pylori infection and vitiligo in 133 patients, with 68 suffering from vitiligo and 65 with telogen effluvium serving as a control group. Results showed a significantly higher rate of H. pylori positivity, H. pylori CagA, and IgG in serum in the vitiligo group compared to the control group, as well as a higher number of patients with dyspepsia in the vitiligo group. However, no significant correlation was found between H. pylori infection and the severity of vitiligo. The study suggests that H. pylori may contribute to the pathogenesis of vitiligo through autoimmunity and chronic inflammation, but emphasizes the need for further research to determine if eradicating H. pylori could positively influence the clinical course of vitiligo.
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