The Effect of Topical Corticosteroids on Serum IL-17 Level in Vitiligo Patients

Vitiligo is one of the most common acquired depigmenting disorders with a prevalence of 1-2% of population. Vitiligo is caused by the destruction of melanocytes. Over the years, the role of biochemical, immunological, genetic, and other biological aspects in the pathogenesis of vitiligo has been studied. So far, the exact etiopathogenesis and mechanisms of vitiligo are not fully understood. Until recently vitiligo has been considered mainly to be a Th1-driven autoimmune inflammatory disease defined but recent findings have revealed a potential role for Th17 responses in the pathogenesis of vitiligo. However, the results obtained in studies on serum levels of IL-17 are contradictory. In some studies, it has been found that increasing levels of IL-17 in vitiligo patients but some studies decreased. The aim of our study is to investigate serum levels of IL-17 in vitiligo patients in the Turkish population. In the study, serum levels of IL-17 were determined in 68 vitiligo patients who were treated with corticosteroids and 16 vitiligo patients without any treatment in Dermatology department of Bülent Ecevit University Medical Faculty Hospital. When serum IL-17 levels were compared between patients receiving and not receiving topical corticosteroid treatment, no significant correlation was found between serum IL-17 levels and topical corticosteroid use (p>0.05). Although previous studies have shown that the difference in IL-17 serum levels that cytokine plays a role in the pathogenesis of vitiligo, but our study indicates that topical steroid use in therapy has no effect on IL-17 levels