Updated Meta-Analysis of the Relation Between Heart Disease and Androgenic Alopecia or Alopecia Areata

January 2018 in “ Australasian Medical Journal ”

Misato Amamoto, Hisashi Noma, Kazuo Hara

androgenic alopecia alopecia areata vertex baldness androgenetic alopecia male pattern baldness

TLDR Men with male pattern baldness have a higher chance of heart disease, especially if they're younger or have severe baldness; no link was found with another type of baldness called alopecia areata.

The meta-analysis from 2018, which included nine studies with a total of 44,806 participants, found that men with androgenic alopecia have an increased risk of heart disease, with a relative risk (RR) of 1.32. This risk was even higher in younger men under 55 or 60 years old, with an RR of 1.44, and was most pronounced in those with severe vertex baldness (RR: 1.60). However, no significant association was found between alopecia areata and heart disease (RR: 0.91). The studies accounted for various factors such as age, smoking, and BMI. The analysis also noted a higher RR of 1.91 in cross-sectional studies for younger patients with androgenetic alopecia. The conclusion drawn was that androgenic alopecia is associated with an increased risk of heart disease, particularly in younger men and those with more severe baldness, while alopecia areata is not associated with heart disease.