The evaluation of the probable variations at the quality of life in term of clinical types of the disease in patients with vitiligo

This study was carried out at Karadeniz Technical University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Dermatology between January 2009 and September 2009,in purpose of exhibiting whether the quality of life between patients with vitiligo and healthy individuals is different and evaluating the probable variations at the quality of life according to clinical types of vitiligo.Fifty patients with vitiligo and 50 healty volunters were enrolled to the study.Skindeks -29 test and Dermatological Life Quality Index were performed to both groups. The eligibility of measured data to normal distribution was evaluated with Kolmogorow Smirnow Test. Student T test was performed to data that is eligible with normal distribution, Mann Whitney ?U test was performed to data that is not eligible with normal distribution and Ki square test was used to compare the qualitative data. The measured data was stated as avg. ±SS and the qualitative data was stated as number (%). The level of significance was taken as p< 0.05.The quality of life of the patients with vitiligo has been deteriorated to significant degree with respect to healthy control group. In terms of emotional scale results, the significant difference was determined statistically between female and male patients. It was not determined a difference between clinical type and specific localizations in terms of affecting the life quality. It was determined that the patients with the involvement at perineum have more sexual problems than the patients without involvement at perineum. It was determined that the social and spare time activities of patients with the hair involvement were more affected than the patients without the hair involvement.This research has showed that vitiligo has negative effects on the quality of life of the patients. For that reason, we have recommended that the physiological effects of vitiligo must be taken into consideration and the physiological support should be given to the patients when needed during the arrangement of vitiligo treatment. It was determined that the clinical type and localization of vitiligo did not affect the quality of life significantly. We concluded that more precise results can be obtained by studies with the enough patients number,in the distrubution of clinical types and specific localizations