Latent class analysis of a series of 717 patients with vitiligo allows the identification of two clinical subtypes

Non-segmental vitiligo (NSV) is an enigmatic disease with various clinical courses. To empirically identify underlying subtypes of NSV, we performed latent class analysis (LCA) of 717 consecutive patients with NSV seen between 2006 and 2012 and were analyzed. Median age was 32yrs (14-45), median age at NSV onset was 18yrs (8-32), and median NSV duration 5yrs (0.75-78.5). A two-class model showed the best fit. Of the 717 patients, 280 (39%) belonged to LC1 and 437 (61%) to LC2. LC1 patients had high probabilities for early disease onset (<12yrs), halo nevi, family history of premature hair greying, Koebner phenomenon, previous episodes of repigmentation, and family history of vitiligo. By contrast, LC2 patients were characterized by a late disease onset (after or at the age of 12yrs, median age of 30yrs) and acrofacial localization without any lesions on trunk or limbs. These two LCA classes (LC1, prepubertal onset'; LC2, post-pubertal onset') may help refining results from genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and allow a more accurate genotype-phenotype correlation and help defining more directed treatment protocols.