Comparison of Components of Metabolic Syndrome in Androgenic Alopecia Versus Healthy Population
September 2019
androgenic alopecia metabolic syndrome waist circumference BMI blood pressure insulin levels HbA1c insulin resistance HOMA-IR lipid profile abnormalities testosterone levels sex hormone-binding globulin SHBG Free Androgen Index FAI AA MS body mass index hemoglobin A1c homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance
TLDR People with androgenic alopecia are more likely to have metabolic syndrome than healthy individuals.
The study compared 100 patients with androgenic alopecia (AA) to 100 healthy controls, all aged 25-40 years and with a BMI under 30, to assess the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MS) components. It was found that the AA group had significantly higher waist circumference, BMI, blood pressure, insulin levels, HbA1c, insulin resistance (measured by HOMA-IR), and lipid profile abnormalities. Additionally, AA patients had higher testosterone levels, lower sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) levels, and a higher Free Androgen Index (FAI). MS was present in 39% of the AA group compared to 10% of the control group. The study concluded that metabolic syndrome is more common in individuals with AA, and that FAI is a useful marker for identifying MS in AA patients.