Loose Anagen Hair Syndrome: An Unusual Cause of Alopecia in a Child

In the study titled "Profile of alopecia areata in 655 Chinese patients," 655 Chinese patients (320 men and 335 women) with newly diagnosed alopecia areata (AA) were examined to investigate demographic features, clinical characteristics, and quality of life. The study found three clinical subtypes of AA: patchy alopecia, alopecia totalis (AT), and alopecia universalis (AU). The mean age of onset was 35.2 years, with a mean disease duration of 14.79 months. AT/AU patients had an earlier age of onset and longer disease duration compared to those with patchy AA. Recurrent disease was present in 29.8% of patients, with females showing a higher rate of relapse. A positive family history was observed in 12.6% of patients, and a history of atopy was associated with an earlier age of onset and more extensive disease. Quality of life, as measured by the Dermatology Life Quality Index, was more severely impacted in patients with AT/AU and recurrent disease. The study concluded that AT/AU and recurrent AA are associated with earlier onset, longer duration, and greater impact on quality of life, and that atopy is linked to greater disease severity. No commercial support was identified for this study.