Serum Ferritin Level and Alopecia Areata in Pediatric Patients

This study investigated the relationship between serum ferritin levels and alopecia areata (AA) in 50 pediatric patients. It found that low serum ferritin levels were associated with more severe forms of AA, such as patchy alopecia areata (p = 0.016) and the ophiasis pattern (p = 0.008). Additionally, 86.66% of patients with severe AA had serum ferritin levels below the recommended value, and those with longer disease duration also had lower ferritin levels. The study concluded that serum ferritin could be a prognostic factor for AA, suggesting that low ferritin levels are linked to increased disease severity and duration. Further research was recommended to determine if correcting ferritin levels could alter the disease's progression.