Comorbid Chronic Inflammatory Diseases Influence Alopecia Areata Prognosis
By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter
TUESDAY, Jan. 28, 2025 -- Comorbid chronic inflammatory diseases (CIDs) influence the prognosis of alopecia areata (AA), according to a research letter published online Jan. 8 in Allergy.
Annika Friedrich, from the University of Bonn in Germany, and colleagues used self-reported data from 2,657 mainly Central European AA patients to conduct a comprehensive analysis of associations between comorbid CIDs and selected AA-clinical features of relevance to prognosis.
Overall, 53.7 percent of the AA cohort reported one or more comorbid CID of any type: 44.5 and 17.4 percent reported one or more comorbid atopic CID and nonatopic CID, respectively. The researchers found that compared with patients with no comorbid CIDs, those with comorbid atopic dermatitis (AD), bronchial asthma, or Hashimoto thyroiditis were significantly more likely to report early-onset, severe, and prolonged AA. A significantly increased risk for prolonged AA was seen for patients with comorbid rhinitis or vitiligo. Compared with comorbid AD or rhinitis, comorbid bronchial asthma was associated with a higher risk for early-onset, severe, or prolonged AA. A more pronounced association was seen for CID comorbidity status with AA duration than with age of onset or severity. A significantly higher number of self-reported atopic comorbidities was seen in early-onset, severe, and prolonged AA compared with late-onset, mild, and nonprolonged disease, respectively. Per additional atopic comorbidity, the odds of early-onset, severe, and prolonged AA increased by 1.179, 1.130, and 1.202, respectively. The mean age of onset for AA was almost 10 years earlier in patients with AD + bronchial asthma + rhinitis compared with patients with AA only.
"Our findings suggest that distinct comorbid constellations may indicate AA subtypes with differing prognoses," the authors write.
Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.
© 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Posted January 2025
Read this next
Coal Coking Plant Closure Tied to Immediate and Long-Term Respiratory Health Benefits
WEDNESDAY, July 30, 2025 -- Reductions in fossil fuel-related air pollution are linked to both short- and long-term lung health benefits for nearby residents, according to a study...
Alopecia Areata Associated With Severe Psychosocial Impact
THURSDAY, July 24, 2025 -- Alopecia areata (AA) has a severe psychosocial impact, which is linked to illness perceptions and stigma more strongly than disease severity, according...
Illness Expectations Tied to Asthma Outcomes
WEDNESDAY, July 16, 2025 -- Illness expectations may be meaningfully associated with asthma symptoms and respiratory function, according to a study published online in the June...
More news resources
- FDA Medwatch Drug Alerts
- Daily MedNews
- News for Health Professionals
- New Drug Approvals
- New Drug Applications
- Drug Shortages
- Clinical Trial Results
- Generic Drug Approvals
Subscribe to our newsletter
Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.