Comparison Of Serum Malondialdehyde Levels In Vitiligo Patients And Healthy Controls

BACKGROUNDVitiligo is an idiopathic, acquired, circumscribed, hypomelanotic skin disorder, characterized by depigmented or hypopigmented macules of different sizes and shapes. It is due to the destruction of melanocytes resulting in the absence of pigment production of the skin and mucosal surfaces. Oxidative stress has been implicated in pathophysiology of vitiligo. Oxidative stress reflects an imbalance between the production of reactive oxygen species and biological system's ability to readily detoxify the reactive intermediates or to repair the resulting damage. 1 Malondialdehyde (MDA) is one of several low-molecular-weight end products formed via the decomposition of certain primary and secondary lipid peroxidation products. It is one of the important indicators of free radical-mediated tissue injury.METHODSIn this case control study, the serum MDA levels of 50 vitiligo patients were compared with 50 age and sex matched controls. Analysis was done in UV - Vis spectrophotometer and Malondialdehyde (MDA) was measured in the serum by a method based on Valipasha and Sadasivadu's procedures for estimation of MDA.RESULTSMDA levels were high in cases and in patients with unstable and generalized vitiligo than in control group and stable and localized vitiligo with a significant p value. There was no significant gender difference in oxidative stress. This study concludes that oxidative stress has a significant role in development of vitiligo.CONCLUSIONSThere is oxidative stress in vitiligo as the serum level of malondialdehyde a marker of lipid peroxidation is elevated in vitiligo cases compared to controls.