Alopecia areata patients are at risk for developing cardiovascular conditions, study says

Poland: Patients with alopecia areata (AA) at risk of endothelial dysfunction, according to results of a case-control study. The study found that AA patients showed abnormalities in early predictors of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Therefore, regular cardiovascular screening is appropriate for these patients. 

Alopecia areata is an autoimmune disease that results in patchy hair loss that can affect any hair-bearing area. AA is suggested to be associated with an increased risk of metabolic and cardiovascular comorbidities. To clarify this association, Lidia Rudnicka, Department of Dermatology, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland, and colleagues aimed to evaluate the early predictors of cardiovascular disease [endothelial function (EF) and arterial stiffness (AS)] in AA patients without prior cardiovascular disease, and compare with healthy controls (HCs). 

The study, published in the journal Clinical and Experimental Dermatology included a total of 52 patients with AA (38 women and 14 men; mean age 41 years, range 30–52 years) and 34 HCs who were matched for age, sex, and body mass index. The Endo-PAT 2000 device was used to assess EF, expressed as reactive hyperaemia index (RHI), and AS, identified by augmentation index at 75 beats/min (AI@75). Endothelial dysfunction (ED) was defined as RHI value ≤1.67.