Serum Ferritin and Body Mass Index in Chronic Telogen Effluvium Among Women Attending the Main Dermatological Outpatient Clinics in Baghdad

In 2020, a case series study was conducted on 327 women aged 15-65 years with chronic telogen effluvium, a common hair loss disease, at dermatological outpatient clinics in Baghdad. The study aimed to validate the role of serum ferritin level and body mass index in this condition. The results showed that 93.6% of patients had serum ferritin levels below the normal requirement for hair cycle (≤70μg/l). This was significantly associated with the patients' age, socioeconomic status, and weight status. Specifically, 41.1% of patients with poor socioeconomic status had serum ferritin ≤20μg/l. Additionally, low ferritin levels were significantly associated with having ≥3 pregnancies, being on a weight-losing diet, and actual weight loss. Obesity was identified as a risk factor for having low serum ferritin.