Background: Several studies have indicated that compared to the men without baldness, bald ones have higher risk for development of coronary artery diseases(CAD), and androgen ALOPECIA (AGA) is some how related to CAD. However, none of the previous reports has considered the coronary angiography as the gold standard for diagnosis of CAD. This study was performed to evaluate the validity of such conclusions from the dermatological and cardiological point of View.Materials and Methods: This Case-Control study was carried out on 400 men, who underwent angiography procedures for diagnosis of CAD. Sampled subjects were matched through their gender and age. Case group consisted of 200 male subjects who had positive results in their angiography and another 200 male subjects whom were found to have no pathological finding through their angiography were considered as control group. Subjects in both group were matched together as well as they were blindly assessed for scaling their baldness and in following, their data were analyzed by Chi-square test and their Odds ratio was calculated, as well.Results: Androgenetic ALOPECIA was found in 137 (68.5 %) of patients in case group, whereas only 88 (44%) patients in control group had AGA. There was a statistically significant correlation between male's AGA and CAD (P=0.001). (95% CI: 1.8-4.2). Furthermore, patients with CAD were 2.8 times more than subjects in control group at risk of development of AGA. Conclusion: According to our findings, it seems that patients who have stage III of Vertex type of AGA (or above), have greater risk for developing CAD than patients without AGA.

Background and aim: The etiology of ALOPECIA areata is not clear, but a possible autoimmune cause has been suggested. Serum zinc levels in ALOPECIA areata have been studied, but the eported results were discordant. The aim of this study was to measure the serum zinc levels of the patients with ALOPECIA areata and to compare it with those of the control group. Materials and Methods: In this case-control study, 46 ALOPECIA areata patients admitted to the skin clinic of Imam Khomeini Hospital, Jundishapour University of Medical Sciences in Ahwaz and 33 sex and age matched individuals were studied. The serum zinc levels of both groups were measured using atomic absorption spectrometry and the results were compared. Results: The mean±SD serum zinc level was 873±154.9 micg/1 and in ALOPECIA areata patients 831.8±155.8 micg/1 in control group (P>0.05). Conclusion: No difference was observed between the serum zinc levels of patients with ALOPECIA areata and controls. More studies for evaluation of a possible relationship between serum zinc levels and ALOPECIA areata is recommended.      

Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome is an extremely rare condition with features of premature and accelerated aging. The pattern of inheritance is unclear, although autosomal dominant mutations have been proposed. The disease presentation is usually in infancy and early childhood with a characteristic phenotype of short stature, abnormal skin and nail, beaked nose, loss of subcutaneous fat, failure to thrive, varying degrees of ALOPECIA and premature graying of hair and prominent scalp veins. Laboratory and pathological findings are not characteristic and death results from cardiovascular abnormalities usually in the second decade of life in the majority of cases. We report a four-year-old boy who came to our hospital with history of mottled pigmentation of skin and abnormal facies. Due to clinical features and pathological data, the case was diagnosed as Hutchinson Gilford progeria syndrome.  

Background and Objective: ALOPECIA is one of the most common skin disorders that can affect the quality of life (QOL) in patients. Since few studies have simultaneously evaluated the QOL and quality of sleep in patients with ALOPECIA, this study aimed to evaluate these two important factors in patients with different types of hair loss and among demographic variables. Materials and Methods: Using a convenience sampling method, this cross-sectional study was performed on all pa-tients with various types of ALOPECIA referring to the Dermatology Clinic of Rasoul-e-Akram Hospital, Tehran, Iran, in 2016. For data collection, Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI), Short Form Health Survey (SF-36), and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) questionnaires were used. Results: A total of 70 patients with four types of hair loss, including androgenic ALOPECIA, ALOPECIA areata, telogen ef-fluvium, and discoid lupus erythematosus (DLE) were evaluated. The overall sleep quality score was 5. 51 ±,2. 93, which was not significantly different in all four patient groups (P > 0. 05). The overall DLQI score was 4. 40 ±,4. 30, which had little effect on the QOL in most patients with ALOPECIA (40. 6%). The overall QOL and quality of sleep scores were not significantly correlated with such demographic variables as age, gender, marital status, education, and employment (P > 0. 05). The SF-36 questionnaire and DLQI had a significant inverse relationship (r =-0. 285, P = 0. 026). Conclusion: Our study showed that the quality of sleep and QOL were affected in all four types of patients with alope-cia. As a result, attention to quality of sleep and QOL in these patients with any demographic characteristics is im-portant. However, more studies are needed to confirm the results.

Introduction: ALOPECIA areata is a common disease that affects the life quality of patients. Iron deficiency has been suggested to play a role, but its effect is controversial. We decided to evaluate the relationship between ALOPECIA areata and serum ferritin, TIBC and serum iron levels.Materials and Methods: In this study, 30 patients who were diagnosed with ALOPECIA areata by a dermatologist and 30 healthy individual as the control group were evaluated. All the cases (patients and control group) were referred to Semnan Central Lab for the following laboratory tests: CBC test (WBC, HGB, PLT, MCV, MCH, MCHC), serum ferritin, serum iron and serum TIBC.Results: Mean serum ferritin (P<0.001), serum iron (P<0.001), transferin saturation (P<0.001) and mean hemoglobin (P=0.002) were significantly lower in patient group comparing to the control group. Mean TIBC (P<0.001) was significantly higher in patient group in compared with the control group (P<0.001).Conclusion: Our findings indicate that there is a relationship between ALOPECIA areata and low serum ferritin, low serum iron and increased TIBC. Therefore evaluation of serum iron status and treatment, if needed, with iron supplements is recommended in ALOPECIA areata patients.

ALOPECIA areata (AA) is a sudden non-scarring hair loss that can be seen in any hairy area in the form of round or oval patches. It is an autoimmune disorder with an immunological response against hair follicles that is caused by genetic and environmental factors. The prevalence of AA is about 0. 1% to 0. 2% worldwide. Depending on the severity of the disease and sites of involvement, it can be divided into: ALOPECIA with Patchy pattern, ALOPECIA reticularis, ALOPECIA totalis, ALOPECIA universalis, ALOPECIA ophiasis, ALOPECIA sisiapho, diffuse type and perinevoid ALOPECIA areata. There are various treatment options for AA, but once terminated, they have a high recurrence rate. AA is known for the infiltration of T lymphocytes around the hair follicle bulb, and corticosteroids are its main treatment. Another treatment is topical immunotherapy, the most important of which is Diphenylcyclopropenone (DPCP). It is used in cases that have more than 50% hair loss or are resistant to treatment. The exact DPCP mechanism of action is not well understood, but it may have some kind of antigenic competition and reduce the production of anti-hair follicle antibodies. It can alter the immune response in the skin and alter the ratio of CD4 to CD8 cells around the hair follicle in a way that enhances healing of the disease. It is stated that the rate of hair regrowth in DPCP treatment is about 50% on average. In this article, we review the latest findings of about AA and discuss its therapeutic aspects, especially with DPCP.

Background: ALOPECIA areata (AA) and androgenic ALOPECIA (AGA) are of the most common types of ALOPECIAs. Recently, the role of mastcells in inflammatory diseases has become the focus of many studies. However, few studies have been conducted on their role in AA and AGA. Therefore, our study aimed to quantitatively evaluate the presence of mastcells in the AA and AGA specimens. Materials and Methods: Three groups of AA, AGA, and healthy control were studied (each group with 20 subjects). Patients were randomly selected from those referred to the dermatology clinics of Shahid Beheshti University. Specimens were obtained from the scalp, and perifollicular and perivascular areas were investigated. Results: Significantly higher perifollicular and perivascular mastcell counts were seen in both AGA and AA groups as compared to healthy control (P<0. 001 for both). Moreover, AA patients had more frequent perivascular mastcells than the AGA group (P=0. 042). Among patients aged <40 years, perifollicular and perivascular mastcell counts were not significantly different among three groups; however, subjects over 40 years of age in both groups had significantly more perifollicular and perivascular mastcells than healthy participants. There was a significant positive correlation between disease severity and mast cell counts in both perifollicular and perivascular areas in AA patients (P=0. 001 for both). Conclusion: There is a significantly increased infiltration of mastcells in AA and AGA patients, and this increase is age and severity dependent. Moreover, the increase in mastcell proliferation is more dominant in AA patients.

Background: Localized and extensive clinical subtypes of ALOPECIA areata (AA) including ALOPECIA totalis and ALOPECIA universalis differ in genetic and immunologic aspects. Objective: Comparison of epidemiologic aspects of localized and extensive subtypes of AA. Patients & Methods: In a prospective descriptive study, 180 patients suffering from AA attending the skin clinics of Razi Hospital in Tehran in 6-month period were studied. The epidemiological aspects of the disease including age at onset, duration, family history, and mental stress were compared in the localized and extensive subtypes of AA. Results: The age at onset was 13/2 years in localized and 19/3 years in extensive AA (P<0.05). The duration of disease was remarkably longer in the extensive form (42.5 months vs. 17.5 months in localized AA). The role of mental stress was mentioned in 55.6% of cases with extensive form and 27.8% of cases with localized AA (P<0.05).There was no relation between family history of AA and the clinical subtype of disease. Conclusion: Extensive AA begins at a younger age, has longer course, and stronger relation with stress.

Frontal fibrosing ALOPECIA (FFA), a form of lichen planopilaris (LPP), is primary cicatricial ALOPECIA commonly affecting postmenopausal women. For the first time, we investigated the diagnosis of FFA and LPP in patients presenting with the chief complaint of facial papules and roughness. This cross-sectional was performed among 68 patients with facial papules. We described the epidemiology, comorbidities, clinical presentations, and the association between facial papules and LPP or FFA. All the patients were female with a mean age of 47. 84 years. Scalp ALOPECIA was observed in all the patients presenting with facial papules, of which 89. 7% had FFA. Five patients were diagnosed with LPP without FFA. Most of the patients were premenopausal (73. 5%), and 70. 6% had grade I FFA. Concomitant cutaneous lichen planus involvement was observed more frequently than mucosal involvement. The most frequent comorbidities were hypothyroidism, dyslipidemia, and hypertension. History of ALOPECIA areata was detected in 8. 8% of the patients. Androgenetic ALOPECIA (AGA) was present in 17 patients (25%). Facial papules are the silent and early signs of FFA and LPP. Paying attention to these early signs along with metabolic disturbances can help with the early diagnosis of the disease, especially among premenopausal women.