The Association Between 5α-Reductase Inhibitors and the Presence of Subsequent Dry Eye Disease in Androgenetic Alopecia: A TriNetX Database Study

This study, using the TriNetX database, examined 77,982 patients to explore the link between 5α-reductase inhibitors (5ARI) and dry eye disease (DED) in those with androgenetic alopecia. It found a higher incidence of DED in the 5ARI group (2.97%) compared to the non-5ARI group (2.60%), with an adjusted hazard ratio of 1.084, indicating a significant association. The risk of DED increases with the duration of 5ARI use. The study suggests regular DED evaluations for long-term 5ARI users, despite limitations such as reliance on database codes and lack of detailed clinical data. Further prospective studies are recommended to clarify this relationship.