PROFILE OF ALOPECIA AREATA: A QUESTIONNAIRE ANALYSIS OF PATIENT AND FAMILY

The study analyzed responses from 800 patients with alopecia areata (AA), revealing that 28% were men and 72% were women. Among these patients, 50% had localized alopecia, 30% had alopecia totalis, and 20% had alopecia universalis, with 48% experiencing onset before age 20. A strong family history was noted in 42% of cases, with 333 additional family members affected. Many patients and relatives also had atopic diseases, and associated autoimmune diseases like vitiligo and thyroid disease were consistent with previous findings. While insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) was not increased in patients, it was significantly higher in relatives, suggesting a genetic link where AA expression might prevent IDDM development.