Frequency of Alopecia Areata with other autoimmune disorders.

Article Information

Title: Frequency of Alopecia Areata with other autoimmune disorders.

Authors: Sana us Salam, Zahid Rafiq, Nauman Aziz, Ahsan Anwar

Journal: The Professional Medical Journal (TPMJ)

HEC Recognition History

Category	From	To
Y	2024-10-01	2025-12-31
Y	2023-07-01	2024-09-30
Y	2022-07-01	2023-06-30
Y	2021-07-01	2022-06-30

Publisher: Independent Medical College, Faisalabad- Pakistan

Country: Pakistan

Year: 2022

Volume: 29

Issue: 2

Language: English

DOI: 10.29309/TPMJ/2022.29.02.6565

Keywords: Alopecia areataautoimmune disordersdiabetes mellitusatopic dermatitis

Abstract

Objective: To assess the frequency of alopecia areata associated with other autoimmune disorder in a tertiary care hospital. Study Design: Prospective Cross Sectional study. Setting: Department of Dermatology GHAQ/DHQ Teaching Hospital/Sahiwal Medical College, Sahiwal. Period: January 2020 to December 2020. Material &amp; Methods: A total of 24 patients fulfilling criteria were entered in the study. After taking informed consent, demographic data was recorded. History was taken and general physical and systemic examination was performed. Laboratory investigations were carried out where needed, for determination of factors associated with alopecia areata. Results: This study comprised of 24 patients with male n=12 (50%) and female n=12 (50%) in equal ratio 1:1. Mean age of patients of alopecia areata with SD was 19.75 ± 9.90 years. Most of the study patients were unmarried n=17 (70.8%). More than two third of patients had mild and moderate severity of disease n=18 (75%). Most common autoimmune disorder associated with alopecia areata was Diabetes Mellitus n=6 (20.9%) followed by atopic dermatitis n=3 (12.5%), anemia n=3 (12.5%) and thyroid disorders (hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism) n=2 (8.3%). The p value in various autoimmune diseases was found to be non-significant. (&gt; 0.05). Conclusion: Patients presenting with alopecia areata may have associated other autoimmune disorders which needs to be investigated, thus helping in the management of disease.

Disclaimer: The following sections are produced through an intensive multi-stage analytical pipeline developed by DefinePK, utilizing advanced natural-language processing, domain-specific knowledge models, and automated cross-referencing systems. Despite the rigor and computational effort involved, the generated summary may still contain inaccuracies or incomplete interpretations. Users are strongly advised to verify all critical information against the original paper and its authoritative sources.

Research Objective

To assess the frequency of alopecia areata associated with other autoimmune disorders in a tertiary care hospital.

Methodology

Prospective cross-sectional study conducted in the Department of Dermatology, GHAQ/DHQ Teaching Hospital/Sahiwal Medical College, Sahiwal, from January 2020 to December 2020. A total of 24 patients with alopecia areata were enrolled. Data collected included demographic information, medical history, general physical and systemic examination, and laboratory investigations (thyroid function tests, fasting blood sugar, complete blood count). Data was analyzed using SPSS version 26.

Methodology Flowchart

                        graph TD;
    A["Enroll 24 Patients with Alopecia Areata"] --> B["Collect Demographic Data"];
    B --> C["Record Medical History"];
    C --> D["Perform Physical & Systemic Examination"];
    D --> E["Conduct Laboratory Investigations"];
    E --> F["Analyze Data using SPSS v26"];
    F --> G["Interpret Results"];
    G --> H["Draw Conclusions"];

Discussion

Alopecia areata is an autoimmune hair disorder associated with various other autoimmune conditions. While international studies show varying prevalence rates of these comorbidities, this study in Pakistan aimed to contribute to the limited data available for Asian and Pakistani populations. The findings suggest that patients with alopecia areata may have co-existing autoimmune disorders that warrant investigation for better management. The study acknowledges limitations due to a small sample size, potentially influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Key Findings

The study included 24 patients (12 male, 12 female). The mean age was 19.75 ± 9.90 years. Most patients were unmarried (70.8%). Over two-thirds had mild to moderate disease severity (75%). The most common associated autoimmune disorders were Diabetes Mellitus (20.9%), followed by atopic dermatitis (12.5%), anemia (12.5%), and thyroid disorders (8.3%). No statistically significant association was found between alopecia areata and the investigated autoimmune diseases (p > 0.05). Nail pitting was the most common nail change observed (37.5%).

Conclusion

Patients presenting with alopecia areata may have associated other autoimmune disorders which need to be investigated, thus helping in the management of the disease.

Fact Check

1. Sample Size: The study enrolled a total of 24 patients. (Confirmed in Abstract and Material & Methods).
2. Most Common Associated Disorder: Diabetes Mellitus was the most common associated autoimmune disorder, found in 6 out of 24 patients (20.9%). (Confirmed in Abstract and Results).
3. Study Period: The study was conducted from January 2020 to December 2020. (Confirmed in Abstract and Material & Methods).

Mind Map

Loading PDF...

Loading Statistics...

DefinePK

Select Collection