Insignificant Correlation between Thyroid Hormone and Antithyroid Peroxidase Antibodies in Alopecia Areata Patients...

Alopecia areata (AA) is a common, recurrent form of nonscarring alopecia which often presents as circumscribed patches of spontaneous hair loss. The global prevalence of this disease varies from 0.1% to 0.2% in general population and 7-30 cases per 1000 dermatological patients. The etiology of AA still remains uncertain; however, genetic or environmental factor and autoimmunity are claimed responsible for it. Various autoimmune diseases, such as Hashimoto's thyroiditis, diabetes mellitus, vitiligo, and lupus erythematosus, have been reported in association with AA.

The index study was aimed at estimation of serum T3, T4, thyroid-stimulating hormone, and antithyroid peroxidase (TPO) antibodies.

Similar age/sex-matched AA patients and controls (110 in each group). Enhanced chemiluminescence immunoassay for thyroid profile and anti-TPO antibody level estimation in veinous blood sample.

The mean/standard deviation (SD) of T3 was 3.30 ± 0.84 pg/ml in AA while 3.27 ± 0.67 pg/ml in controls (P = 0.302). Serum mean/SD of T4 level was1.23 ± 0.76 ng/dl in AA patients while 1.17 ± 0.34 ng/dl in controls (P = 0.522). The mean/SD of anti-TPO levels in AA patients was 21.52 ± 35.09 while 56.43 ± 140.72 in controls (P = 0.136).

The limitation of this study was moderate number of AA patients and different genotype of study population.

Occurrence of thyroid dysfunction and evidence of anti-TPO antibodies in AA is rare event in this study population.