Incidence and Risk Factors for Alopecia in Survivors of Critical Illness: A Multi-Centre Observational Study

In a study from 2019 involving 123 survivors of critical illness from ten hospitals in Wales, 36% reported experiencing alopecia after an ICU stay of 5 days or more. The study identified sepsis/septic shock as the only significant risk factor for alopecia, with an odds ratio of 5.1. No significant differences were found in serum lactate levels or APACHE II illness severity scores between those with and without alopecia. The findings suggest the need for further research into the causes of alopecia following critical illness and sepsis, and for healthcare providers to better communicate the risk of hair loss to patients and their families. Despite limitations such as not meeting the target sample size and potential reporting bias, the study highlights alopecia as a common concern for ICU survivors, especially those who had sepsis or septic shock.