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Increased Blood Antioxidants And Selenium Levels May Augur A Promising Therapy For Patients With Vitiligo

Researchers have identified increased blood levels of antioxidants status and selenium levels in black patients with vitiligo.

Previous studies have suggested that oxidative stress may be an important phenomenon leading to melanocytic death in patients with vitiligo. In addition accumulated hydrogen peroxide (H₂0₂) and low catalase levels have been discovered in the epidermis of patients with this condition.

Researchers from the French West Indies noted there had been no previous studies undertaken on oxidative stress among patients with vitiligo whose skin type was phototype V1 (Fitzpatrick classification). Consequently they studied the blood oxidant status of black patients with active generalised vitiligo.

For their study, dermatologists at the Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Fort de France, in Martinique, French West Indies, obtained blood samples from 11 dark-skinned patients with recent active vitiligo lesions and 11 age-and gender-matched healthy volunteers. They evaluated the samples for random total antioxidant status, selenium, and ferritin, transferrin, ceruloplasmin, and tocopherol and retinol levels.

Significantly increased total blood antioxidant status and selenium were identified in vitiligo patients compared to controls (p<0.01 and p<0.02, respectively). However, there was no significant modification of ferritin, transferrin, ceruloplasmin, retinol and tocopherol blood levels.

The study is the first report on the global blood oxidant status in vitiligo patients. Apart from elevated selenium levels, few abnormalities had been previously identified.

This unexpected result should be confirmed and explained in further studies, they conclude.
International Journal of Dermatology 2002 Vol 41 Issue 10 pp 640-642. "Increase in total blood antioxidant status and selenium levels in black patients with active vitilligo."

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