Abstract
Introduction Alopecia areata (AA) is a common autoimmune disorder of hair follicles characterized by patches on nonscarring hair loss. Reports of prevalence and clinical characteristic of AA in Saudi Arabia are limited. The aim of our study is to describe the prevalence and clinical characteristics of Saudi patients with AA. Materials and Methods A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted at King Abdulaziz Medical City in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. All patients diagnosed with AA between January 2016 and December 2017 were included. Data included patient demographics, type of AA, disease duration, family history of AA, and comorbid autoimmune diseases. Results A total of 216 patients with AA were included. The overall prevalence of AA was approximately 2.3%. The mean disease duration at the time of presentation was 2 months while the mean age of onset was 25.61 years. The most common type of AA in both adult and pediatric groups was the patchy type involving the scalp. Comorbid diseases were found in 32.41% of patients. Common associated conditions included hypothyroidism, diabetes mellitus, and atopic diseases. Conclusion The overall prevalence of AA among a population of Saudi patients is 2.3%. AA prevalence is higher in pediatrics than adults. Common comorbid conditions include hypothyroidism, diabetes mellitus, and atopic diseases.
Highlights
Alopecia areata (AA) is a common autoimmune disorder of hair follicles characterized by patches on nonscarring hair loss
Alopecia areata (AA) is a nonscarring alopecia caused by a T-cell-mediated autoimmune destruction of hair follicles [1]. e general population has an approximately 2% risk to develop AA at any time of their life [2, 3]. e worldwide incidence of AA varies from 2.1%, 0.7%, to 3.8% in USA, India, and Singapore, respectively [4]
Pediatric and adult cases accounted for approximately 4.24% and 2% of all new referrals to the pediatric and adult dermatology clinics, respectively. e mean age at onset was 25.61 ± 12.92 years
Summary
Alopecia areata (AA) is a common autoimmune disorder of hair follicles characterized by patches on nonscarring hair loss. One of the most important risk factors of developing AA is family history which is portrayed in one of the studies that showed the lifetime risk of AA was 7.1%, 7.8%, and 5.7% in siblings, parents, and children of patients with AA, respectively [5, 6]. Another risk factor is atopy as shown in 60% of adults and 25% of pediatric patients with AA who either had personal or family history of atopy [5, 7, 8]
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