Alopacia areata among patients attending the department of dermatology and venereology in Rizgary Teaching Hospital in Erbil

Abstract

Background and objective: Alopecia areata, is an organ-specific autoimmune disease with genetic predisposition and an environmental trigger, characterized by discrete, well - demarcated area of non scaring terminal hair loss. It affects sex, children and young adults. This study aims at assessing different aspects of alopecia areata and its clinical characteristics. Methods: A descriptive study conducted during October 2006 and April 2007 on 100 patients with alopecia areata using a structured questionnaire, at the outpatient clinic of Dermatology and Venereology at Rizgary Teaching Hospital. Results: Male-to-female ratio was 2.3:1, 42% of cases had a single patchy lesion while 52% had multiple patchy lesions, 5% had Alopecia Universalis and one case had Alopecia Totalis. The scalp was involved in 82% while mustache area in only 7% of the cases. Itching and burning were positive in 8%, exclamation marks in 23% and nail involvement in 22% of cases. Ophiasis found in 13% while past history of atopy was positive only in 11% of the cases. Family history was positive in 20% of all cases while past personal history in 31% of the cases. The age of first attack in most of cases was during the first three decades of life. Conclusion: There is a significant relationship between the age of first attack and negative prognostic signs. Scalp with multiple patchy lesions was the common type of alopecia areata among our patients.