Iron Plays a Certain Role in Patterned Hair Loss

Role of iron in hair loss is not clear yet. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between iron and hair loss. Retrospective chart review was conducted on patients with female pattern hair loss (FPHL) and male pattern hair loss (MPHL). All patients underwent screening including serum ferritin, iron, and total iron binding capacity (TIBC), CBC, ESR and thyroid function test. For normal healthy controls, age-sex matched subjects who had visited the hospital for a check-up with no serious disease were selected. A total 210 patients with FPHL (n = 113) and MPHL (n = 97) with 210 healthy controls were analyzed. Serum ferritin concentration (FC) was lower in patients with FPHL (49.27 +/- 55.8 microg/L), compared with normal healthy women (77.89 +/- 48.32 microg/L) (P < 0.001). Premenopausal FPHL patients turned out to show much lower serum ferritin than age/sex-matched controls (P < 0.001). Among MPHL patients, 22.7% of them showed serum FC lower than 70 microg/L, while no one had serum FC lower 70 microg/L in healthy age matched males. These results suggest that iron may play a certain role especially in premenopausal FPHL. The initial screening of iron status could be of help for hair loss patients.

Serum ferritin levels in non-scarring alopecia of women: a case-control study

Iron deficiency in the etiology of hair loss has been studied for more than 45 years. However, contradictory reports have been published and almost all the studies conducted so far are based on observational methodology. To find out if any real association exists between the iron deficiency and alopecia. One hundred consecutive, clinically typical female patients [14-54 years] with nonscarring alopecia i.e. alopecia areata, androgenetic alopecia and telogen effluvium and an equal number of age- and sex-matched controls were included in the study. Both groups were evaluated for serum ferritin and other important parameters of iron status. Mean serum ferritin value of cases was significantly lower than that of the controls [p=0.005]. Patients with alopecia areata and androgenetic alopecia had significantly lower values of serum ferritin [p=0.011 and 0.015, respectively], but there was no significant difference in telogen effluvium cases and controls [p=0.348]. The values of hemoglobin, hematocrit, MCV, MCH and transferring-saturation were significantly lower in cases but had significantly higher TIBC values than controls. There is a definite association of decreased serum ferritin levels and nonscarring alopecia in women. The iron stores of female patients with nonscarring alopecias should be built for the optimum response to treatment as the proposed triggering factor can be abolished

Coronary heart disease risk factors in male-type androgenetic alopecia

Hyperandrogenaemia and androgenetic alopecia has some association with increased risk of coronary heart disease. Conflicting data has since been reported with regards to levels of biochemical markers of coronary heart disease risk factors in androgenetic alopecia. A case control study was planned to evaluate biochemical markers of coronary heart disease in hyperandrogenaemia of males and androgenetic alopecia. Patients of androgenetic alopecia [n=22] were men with fronto-occipital baldness, aged 20-30 years. Healthy controls [n=20] were age-matched males without alopecia. The individuals with clinical evidence of any systemic or localised scalp disease were excluded. Levels of fibrinogen, glucose, Insulin, uric acid, total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol and HDL-cholesterol were measured. The levels of total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, insulin, glucose, and uric acid in patients of androgenetic alopecia when compared with normal controls were raised significantly. Fibrinogen levels were raised while HDL-Cholesterol was lower in patients than controls but the difference was not significant statistically. The results support the hypothesis that androgenetic alopecia in males is associated with increased risk of coronary heart disease

Alopécia androgenética feminina: estudo hormonal e avaliaçäo do tratamento com antiandrógenos / Female androgenetic alopecia: hormonal study and evaluation of antiandrogen treatment

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a eficácia do tratamento com antiandrógenos em mulheres com alopécia androgenética (AA). Realizamos dosagens de testosterona total (T), testosterona livre (TL), sulfato de deidroepiandrosterona (DHEA-S), androstenediona (A), proteína ligadora dos hormônios sexuais (SHBG), androstanediol glucuronídeo (3alpha-diol G), TSH, anticorpo antimicrossomal e as relaçöes T/SHBG (x100) e 3alpha-diol G/SHBG em 30 mulheres com AA, idades entre 14 e 46 anos, e comparamos com grupo controle, constituído por 11 mulheres, idades entre 16 e 27 anos. Quatro pacientes tiveram diagnóstico de doença endócrina: hipotireoidismo primário (n=2), síndrome dos ovários policísticos e hirsutismo idiopático. Nas demais 26 pacientes, a relaçäo 3alpha-diol G/SHBG foi maior (p<0,05), sem diferença na concentraçäo dos androgênios, quando comparamos com o grupo controle. Sete pacientes utilizaram acetato de ciproterona (50mg/dia) associado com etinilestradiol (AC+E) e cinco pacientes utilizaram espironolactona (100mg/dia) por 6 meses. Houve diminuiçao estatisticamente significativa nas dosagens de 3alpha-diol G, SHBG e da relaçäo T/SHBG somente nas pacientes que utilizaram AC+E. Todas as pacientes relataram melhora da queda do cabelo. Observamos, através do tricograma, um aumento estatisticamente significativo dos pêlos anágenos nas pacientes que utilizaram AC e espironolactona (p<0,05) e diminuiçao de pêlos anágenos disäo androgênica que ocorre em mulheres geneticamente predispostas. O tratamento com AC+E acarreta uma melhora no perfil hormonal e na análise do tricograma sendo necessário tratamento mais prolongado para que seja observado aumento na quantidade do pêlo.