Bone Mineral Density in Patients with Alopecia Areata Treated with Long-Term Intralesional Corticosteroids

The study evaluated bone mineral density (BMD) in 18 patients with patchy alopecia areata treated with intralesional triamcinolone acetonide for at least 20 months. Using dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA), it was found that 50% of the patients had abnormal BMD results. Risk factors for abnormal BMD included age over 50, low body mass index, lack of weight-bearing exercise, smoking, postmenopausal status, past stress fractures, family history of osteopenia or osteoporosis, and a cumulative corticosteroid dose over 500 mg. The study concluded that patients undergoing this treatment should be counseled on osteoporosis prevention and monitored for BMD changes.