Alopecia and Its Association with Coronary Heart Disease and Cardiovascular Risk Factors: A Meta-Analysis

The meta-analysis from 2014, which included 31 studies and 29,254 participants, found that individuals with alopecia have a significantly increased risk of coronary heart disease (CHD), with an odds ratio (OR) of 1.22. Additionally, alopecia was associated with a higher risk of several cardiovascular risk factors, including hyperinsulinaemia (OR 1.97), insulin resistance (OR 4.88), metabolic syndrome (OR 4.49), higher serum cholesterol levels (OR 1.60), higher serum triglyceride levels (OR 2.07), and higher systolic (OR 1.73) and diastolic blood pressures (OR 1.59). The study concluded that alopecia could be considered an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease and that there is a dose-response relationship between the degree of baldness and the risk of CHD.