Is Early Onset Androgenic Alopecia a Marker of Metabolic Syndrome and Carotid Artery Atherosclerosis in Young Indian Male Patients?

The 2015 study investigated the link between early onset androgenic alopecia (AGA), metabolic syndrome (MetS), and carotid artery atherosclerosis in 100 young Indian males compared to 100 healthy controls. The study found a significant association between AGA and MetS, with a prevalence rate of 22% in the AGA group compared to 8% in the control group. Additionally, the AGA group had higher levels of serum testosterone (21.98 ± 23.84 ng/dl) than the control group (5.41 ± 2.52 ng/dl). The study also found a tendency for AGA patients to develop carotid atheromatous plaques, a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, although this was not statistically significant. The study concluded that young men with AGA should be aware of an increased risk of insulin resistance and its potential consequences, such as dyslipidemia, hypertension, and diabetes, and suggested that AGA patients should be screened for cardiovascular abnormalities for early detection of atheromatous plaques.