The Characterization And Prevalence Of Alopecia Diagnoses: A Retrospective, Cross-Sectional Study

September 2022 in “ Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology ”

Kim Nguyen, Sushmita Adhikari, Erica Lee

alopecia biopsy lupus dermatologists hair loss

TLDR Alopecia in lupus patients is often underdiagnosed and rarely biopsied.

This study analyzed alopecia diagnoses and biopsy rates in lupus patients using data from the U.S. National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS) from 2002-2016 and 2018. It found that only 12.42% of lupus patients with hair loss symptoms received a specific alopecia diagnosis, and just 3.68% underwent a biopsy. Additionally, dermatologists diagnosed alopecia more frequently than family medicine and other specialty groups. The findings suggest that alopecia is underdiagnosed and infrequently biopsied in lupus patients, highlighting the need for clinicians to consider more thorough diagnostic practices or referrals when alopecia is suspected.

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