Profile of Alopecia Areata: A Questionnaire Analysis of Patients and Families

The study analyzed responses from 800 patients with alopecia areata (AA) through a questionnaire distributed by Help Alopecia International Research, Inc. The respondents included 28% men and 72% women, with 50% having localized alopecia, 30% alopecia totalis, and 20% alopecia universalis. Notably, 48% experienced onset before age 20, and a strong family history was observed in 42% of cases, with 333 additional family members affected. Many patients and relatives also had atopic diseases, and associated autoimmune conditions like vitiligo and thyroid disease were consistent with previous findings. Interestingly, while insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) was not increased in patients, it was significantly higher in relatives, suggesting a genetic link where AA expression might prevent IDDM development.