Risk of Alopecia Areata with Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonists for Weight Loss

February 2025 in “ medRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) ”

Mohit Sodhi, Ramin Rezaeianzadeh, Abbas Kezouh, Connor Frey, Mahyar Etminan

alopecia areata glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists semaglutide liraglutide bupropion-naltrexone GLP-1 agonists

TLDR GLP-1 agonists may increase the risk of hair loss.

A retrospective cohort study using a large health claims database investigated the risk of alopecia areata associated with GLP-1 agonists, specifically semaglutide and liraglutide, compared to bupropion-naltrexone. The study included 926 semaglutide users, 17,898 liraglutide users, and 1,348 bupropion-naltrexone users, excluding those with diabetes or prior antihyperglycemic use. The results showed an increased risk of alopecia areata with GLP-1 agonists, with an adjusted hazard ratio of 2.09 (95% CI: 1.20-3.65) compared to bupropion-naltrexone. The study suggests a potential association between GLP-1 agonists and alopecia areata, warranting further research.

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