Alopecia areata and autoimmunity

The aim of the present study was to estimate the association between alopecia areata (AA) and autoimmunity. To such scope, the authors have estimated the presence of autoantibodies in patients with alopecia areata joints to the authors' observation in the last two years.

In 63 patients affected with different forms of AA (45 cases with multiple patches, 10 with single patch, 5 with alopecia totalis and 3 with alopecia universalis), has been estimated a autoantibodies panel. In 28 subjects (44%) it has been evidenced the presence of autoantibodies; in particular, 23 subjects were affected from AA with multiple patches, 3 from single patch, 1 from alopecia totalis and 1 from alopecia universalis.

The autoantibodies against thyroperoxidase and thyroglobulin were found more frequently, followed from antimicrosomal and antinuclear. Except in 5 subjects with autoimmune disease (4 from thyroiditis and 1 from subacute cutaneous lupus erythematosus), all the other cases turned out positives were asymptomatic, then the skin behaved like ''organ proof'' of an organ pathology. On this purpose, in 17 cases (27%) it has been revealed an autoimmune thyroiditis.

AA is often associated to other autoimmune diseases and that in the 36% of the cases it has permitted to reveal a silent pathology of organ.