Androgenetic Alopecia as an Indicator of Metabolic Syndrome and Cardiovascular Risk

This study from 2016 investigated the relationship between androgenetic alopecia (AGA), metabolic syndrome, and cardiovascular risk. The study found that male patients with AGA had a higher prevalence of metabolic syndrome and insulin resistance, as well as increased carotid-intima media thickness and pulse-wave velocity, which are indicators of atherosclerosis and arterial stiffness. These findings suggest that AGA may be an indicator of increased cardiovascular risk and that patients with AGA should be screened for cardiovascular risk factors. Vertex pattern AGA appears to be a marker for early atherosclerosis, supporting the hypothesis that early-onset AGA alone could be an independent risk factor for CVD and metabolic syndrome.