Alopecia Areata Increases the Risk of Stroke: A 3-Year Follow-Up Study

June 2015 in “ Scientific Reports ”

Jiunn‐Horng Kang, Herng‐Ching Lin, Senyeong Kao, Ming-Chieh Tsai, Shiu‐Dong Chung

Studysummary In this study, patients with alopecia areata were found to have a higher risk of stroke over a 3-year follow-up period compared to those without the condition.

Our plain-language summary. Not medical advice or a treatment recommendation. Consult a qualified healthcare professional before changing treatment. Full disclaimer

This study investigated the risk of stroke in patients with alopecia areata (AA) over a 3-year period using a large-scale retrospective cohort from Taiwan. It included 3,231 AA patients and 16,155 matched controls. The incidence rates of stroke were 5.44 per 1,000 person-years for AA patients and 2.75 per 1,000 person-years for those without AA. The adjusted hazard ratio for stroke in AA patients was 1.61, indicating a significantly higher risk of stroke compared to controls. The study concluded that AA patients had an increased risk of stroke during the follow-up period.

View this study on nature.com →

Discuss this study in the Community →

Research cited in this study

7 / 7 results

research Evaluation of Serum Homocysteine, High-Sensitivity CRP, and RBC Folate in Patients with Alopecia Areata

18 citations , October 2014 in “Indian Journal of Dermatology”

This study found that patients with alopecia areata have lower levels of RBC folate, correlating negatively with the disease's severity and extent.

research Overview of Alopecia Areata

110 citations , December 2013 in “The journal of investigative dermatology. Symposium proceedings/The Journal of investigative dermatology symposium proceedings”

This article reviews current understanding of alopecia areata, its genetic and immune factors, and discusses ongoing research and treatment development, without presenting new experimental results.

research Oxidative Stress in Alopecia Areata: A Case-Control Study

62 citations , July 2013 in “American Journal of Clinical Dermatology”

This study found that alopecia areata patients had higher oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation levels than healthy controls, suggesting potential involvement in the disease's pathogenesis.

research Recent Advances in the Pathogenesis of Autoimmune Hair Loss Disease Alopecia Areata

106 citations , January 2013 in “Clinical and Developmental Immunology”

This review discusses the pathogenesis of alopecia areata, highlighting the role of immune privilege collapse in hair follicles but reports no clinical results.

research Alopecia Areata Update

85 citations , October 2012 in “Dermatologic Clinics”

This article reviews recent updates on alopecia areata, focusing on its causes, clinical presentation, and treatment options, and provides treatment plans by patient age and disease extent, but reports no new clinical results.

research Alopecia Areata: An Autoimmune Disease Causing Hair Loss

16 citations , April 2011 in “Recent Patents on Inflammation & Allergy Drug Discovery”

This review discusses treatment approaches for alopecia areata, including promising novel therapies, and reports no new clinical results.

research Alopecia Areata Update

244 citations , January 2010 in “Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology”

This review discusses treatment options for alopecia areata and suggests tailored treatment plans, noting the challenges posed by spontaneous remission and limited high-quality clinical trials.