Alopecia areata and narcolepsy: a tale of obscure autoimmunity

Alopecia areata is an autoimmune dermatological disorder characterised by loss of hair in one or more discrete patches over the scalp. It has been linked to multiple disorders having an autoimmune origin. Like many autoimmune disorders it tends to be more common in females. To date, only five cases have been reported where alopecia has been associated with narcolepsy. Male gender is less commonly affected by alopecia areata. No case of alopecia areata in males has been associated with narcolepsy to the best of our knowledge. The current case represents the first ever-reported case of alopecia areata in a male patient with narcolepsy type 1. This coexistence is most likely the manifestation of a common underlying pathoimmunological mechanism that has not been completely understood, rather than a random association.