The Role of Reactive Oxygen Species in the Pathogenesis of Alopecia Areata: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
January 2025
in “
Skin Pharmacology and Physiology
”
TLDR Oxidative stress contributes to alopecia areata, suggesting antioxidant treatments might help.
This systematic review and meta-analysis examined the role of reactive oxygen species in the pathogenesis of alopecia areata (AA) by analyzing 21 studies with 743 AA patients. The findings revealed that oxidative stress index (OSI) and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were significantly elevated in AA patients, while antioxidant activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) were reduced. Paraoxonase-1 (PON1) levels showed no significant difference. These results suggest that oxidative stress plays a substantial role in AA pathogenesis, indicating that targeting oxidative stress could be a potential therapeutic strategy. Further research into antioxidant-based therapies is recommended.