Presence of Autoimmune Diseases in Alopecia Areata Patients and Their Families and Its Effect on Prognosis

Abstract

Objective: We aimed to investigate the role of autoimmunity in the etiopathogenesis of alopecia areata (AA) and the effects of the coexisting autoimmune diseases on the prognosis of AA. Methods: The records of 134 AA patients diagnosed in the dermatology and venereology outpatient clinic were retrospectively analyzed for the history of concomitant autoimmune disease and the family history for autoimmune diseases. Results: Of the 134 patients, 79 were males, 55 were females. The rate of autoimmune disease was 16.4%. The rate of autoimmune disease was found significantly higher in the females (p=0.034) and in the patients with a positive family history of autoimmune disease (p=0.011). No significant relationship was found between the coexistence of an autoimmune disease and the duration, type, severity of the disease, age at disease onset, nail involvement, atopy, nevus flammeus and family history of AA. The rate of the family history of autoimmune disease within the AA patients was 16.4%. Conclusion: The high rate of autoimmune disease in AA, prominent high rate of autoimmune disease in females, high rate of family history of autoimmune disease might prove the role of the autoimmunity in the etiopathogenesis of AA and suggested AA as an autoimmune disease. The coexistence of the autoimmune disease in AA has no relationship with poor prognosis.