Evaluation of S100B serum level as a biomarker of disease activity in vitiligo patients

ABSTRACT Background: Vitiligo is a depigmenting disorder characterized by the appearance of circumscribed white macules in the skin. The aetiology of vitiligo is not clear, and although various hypotheses have been proposed. It has been suggested that autoimmunity plays an important role in the pathogenesis of vitiligo. Objective: To evaluate the serum levels of S100B as it could be used as biomarker of disease activity in vitiligo patients. Patients and Methods: The current study included 45 patients with vitiligo and 45 healthy controls. Patients were divided into two groups, segmental vitiligo (group I) including 4 patients and generalized vitiligo (group II) including 41 patients. All participants were recruited from the outpatient clinic of Al-Azhar University hospital (Damietta) and Dermatology, Venereology, Leprosy in June 2018. Results: S100B serum levels were high in patients with vitiligo as compared to the control subjects. S100B were significantly higher in non segmental vitiligo. S100B serum levels were higher in active vitiligo patients as compared to inactive vitiligo patients. There was no significant difference between the studied groups regarding age, gender, duration of the disease and Fitzpatrick skin phototype. Conclusion: Vitiligo patients have been associated with high levels of S100B, indicating its possible involvement in its pathogenesis. Levels of S100B may be a potential target for treatment. It is needed to perform further studies with larger sample size including patients and controls and follow up monitoring of activity in needed to evaluate of S100B.