17544 Cicatricial alopecia in women: A case-control study

Abstract

The pilosebaceous unit utilizes key physiological processes used in whole organism homeostasis. Central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia (CCCA) and Frontal fibrosing alopecia (FFA) appear to be increasing and have epidemiologic features, such as gender, race and biologic targets, that support database study. We combined demographic, body mass index (BMI) and blood pressure readings on 43 women with cicatricial alopecia (n = 22 CCCA, n = 21 FFA) and compared them with an age, race and weight matched control group. Patients with cicatricial alopecia have significantly higher systolic and diastolic blood pressures. The study group had a mean systolic pressure of 134 mm Hg, compared with the control group, with a mean systolic pressure of 118 mm Hg (P = .002). Cicatricial patients also had higher mean diastolic pressures, with a mean of 85 mm Hg, compared with the control group mean of 73 mm Hg (P = .092). Eleven CCCA patients were taking antihypertensive medication, with a total of seventeen patients with hypertension treated or untreated. Five FFA patients were taking antihypertensive medication, with a total of thirteen patients with hypertension treated or untreated. In comparison, the control group only had eight patients with hypertension, six treated. Women with cicatricial alopecia should undergo assessment of their cardiovascular and metabolic health. Both types of cicatricial alopecia studied were associated with hypertension, and may share similar biologic origins that could be an area of future studies. Further studies on alopecia should also include pregnancy history, as preeclampsia in pregnancy predisposes women towards the development of hypertension later on in life.