Economic Burden and Healthcare Resource Use of Alopecia Areata in an Insured Population in the USA

This retrospective database analysis evaluated healthcare resource utilization and direct medical costs among 14,340 patients with alopecia areata compared to 42,998 matched controls in the US. Patients with alopecia areata had significantly higher healthcare costs ($8557 vs. $6416; p < 0.0001), driven by increased ambulatory visits, prescriptions, and associated costs. Mean ambulatory costs were $3640 for alopecia areata patients versus $2062 for controls, and mean pharmacy costs were $3287 versus $1843 (p < 0.0001 for both). Pharmacy costs related to immunologic agents accounted for 50% of the difference in pharmacy spending. The study highlights the substantial economic burden of alopecia areata, primarily due to higher ambulatory and pharmacy expenses.