Evaluation of Pericardial Effusions in Alopecia Patients on Low-Dose Oral Minoxidil Therapy

This study aimed to evaluate the association between low-dose oral minoxidil (LDOM) therapy and the prevalence of pericardial effusions in alopecia patients. A total of 100 patients were assessed, with 51 on LDOM therapy and 49 as controls. The results showed that small pericardial effusions were present in 5.8% of LDOM patients and 6% of control patients, with no significant difference between the groups (P=1). None of the effusions were symptomatic. The study concluded that there was no evidence of an increased prevalence of pericardial effusions in alopecia patients on LDOM, although the study's small size limits the ability to speculate on causality.