• Sulaiman A Al-Shammari, Hatim M Alotaibi, Mohammed A Assiri, Moataz I Altokhais, Mazyad S Alotaibi, and Mohammad S Alkhowailed.
• From the Department of Family and Community Medicine (Al-Shammari), College of Medicine; from the College of Medicine (Alotaibi, Assiri, Altokhais, Alotaibi), King Saud University, Riyadh; and from the Department of Dermatology (Alkhowailed), College of Medicine, Qassim University, Buraidah, Qassim, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
• Saudi Med J. 2021 Jun 1; 42 (6): 682-687.

ObjectivesTo assess the quality of life (QoL) in patients with vitiligo in central Saudi Arabia using the dermatology life quality index (DLQI).MethodsA cross-sectional study spanning over 6 months was conducted on 253 adult patients with vitiligo at the outpatient dermatology clinics of the National Center of Vitiligo (Light Clinics) and King Khalid University Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The patients were asked to complete a self-administered questionnaire using an Arabic version of the DLQI to measure the impact of vitiligo on their QoL. The association between the demographic and diseases characteristic to the median DLQI scores was investigated using binary logistic regression.ResultsThe median DLQI score was 4, the range 25, min 0 - max 25 and percentiles 2-8. The unadjusted odds ratio (95%CI) showed the median DLQI score was significantly higher in married subjects 2.29 (1.33-3.94) (p<0.01), non-segmental vitiligo 2.10 (1.16-3.79) (p<0.01), and the progressive vitiligo 1.87 (1.09-3.18) (p<0.02) than their counterparts. However, after adjustment only married status predicted the high DLQI score 2.08 (1.11-3.61) (p<0.01).ConclusionThe QoL in vitiligo patients in Saudi Arabia is adverse than those with lighter skin, in other countries. Therefore, in Saudi Arabia, better management modalities to improve patients' QoL and prevent subsequent mental distress are needed.Copyright: © Saudi Medical Journal.

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