Objective: Vitiligo is an acquired depigmenting disorder caused by the destruction of melanocytes. The exact etiopathogenesis and mechanisms of vitiligo are not fully understood. Several groups have shown the involvement of oxidative stress in the pathophysiology of vitiligo. The aim of this study was to study for any association of vitiligo with serum homocysteine, asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), vitamin A, vitamin E and malondialdehyde levels (MDA).

Material and Method: This randomized case control study was performed on 50 subjects: 30 patients suffering from vitiligo and 20 healthy controls. Venous blood was collected from each subject to estimate the levels of vitamin A, E, MDA, ADMA and homocysteine. The serum levels of these parameters in both groups were measured using High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC).

Results: The levels of serum vitamin E were significantly decreased in vitiligo patients (p=0.004), while serum MDA, homocysteine and ADMA levels were significantly increased (p<0.0001), and the levels of vitamin A were almost the same in patients as in the control subjects (p>0.05).

Conclusion: According to our results, we conclude that reduced vitamin E levels and increased levels of homocysteine, MDA and ADMA may constitute a distinctive feature in vitiligo.