Korean J Dermatol.
2002 Jan;40(1):8-13.
Assessment of the Association of Iron Deficiency and Frequencies of Autoantibodies and Abnormal Thyroid Function Tests in Patients with Alopecia Areata
- Affiliations
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- 1Department of Dermatology, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea. hjlee@sph.cuk.ac.kr
Abstract
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BACKGROUND: Iron deficiency is known as an aetiological factor in diffuse alopecia and androgen-dependent alopecia, especially in females. In alopecia areata, a few studies have been performed to evaluate the role of iron deficiency, but the results were not conclusive. Alopecia areata is suspected to be an autoimmune disease and increased frequencies of thyroid disease, vitiligo, and autoantibodies have been demonstrated.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study is to assess the role of iron deficiency in alopecia areata and to study the frequency of abnormal thyroid function tests and autoantibodies in Korean patients with alopecia areata. METHOD: A total of 40 (32 premenopausal and 8 postmenopausal) female and 33 male patients with patchy alopecia areata were included. Hematologic tests, thyroid function tests and autoantibody tests were performed.
RESULTS
About 65% of premenopausal female patients with alopecia areata had low level of serum ferritin below 20 ng/ml. This percentage was increased to 87% with low limit of 40 ng/ml, and to 100% with low limit of 70 ng/ml in premenopausal women, but all postmenopausal patients showed normal ferritin level. About one-fifth of premenopausal female patients had low serum iron level and one-tenth had low hemoglobin level. Serum ferritin level was significantly lower in premenopausal women (21.5+/-12.4 ng/ml) than in postmenopausal women (71.1+/-47.1 ng/ml) (p<0.05). Hematologic test abnormalities were very infrequent in male patients with alopecia areata. Thyroid function tests were normal in most of the patients. Frequency of antinuclear antibody was 30% in female patients with alopecia areata, which was higher than 9% in male patients. Frequencies of antimicrosomal and antithyroglobulin antibodies were rather low and they were similar in female and male patients.
CONCLUSION
Our results suggest possible role of ferritin deficiency in premenopausal female patients with alopecia areata. Abnormalities in thyroid function tests or autoantibodies were not a major problem in alopecia areata patients.
