Ulcerative Colitis and Total Alopecia in a Mother and Her Son

In the 1993 case study, a mother and her son both suffered from ulcerative colitis and total alopecia, indicating a potential genetic link to autoimmune disorders. The 10-year-old son developed alopecia at 4 and severe ulcerative colitis symptoms, while his mother experienced alopecia in childhood and was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis at 24. No other family members had similar conditions. Treatment with cyclosporine led to remission of the son's symptoms and hair regrowth. HLA typing did not show alleles typically associated with these diseases, but both the son and his unaffected sister tested positive for ANCA, suggesting an immune regulatory abnormality. The study underscored the connection between autoimmune diseases and ulcerative colitis and the possible genetic predisposition, as well as the successful use of cyclosporine in the son's treatment.