European Journal of Cardiovascular Medicine

Background: Alopecia areata is a common cause of non-scarring alopecia of hair characterized by single or multiple patches of hair loss.  It is an autoimmune disease with an unpredictable course and has a profound impact on the psychosocial well-being of the patients. Aims: Our present study aimed to assess the demographic pattern, clinical patterns, and associations with diseases in a tertiary care teaching hospital in Bihar. Materials & methods: All patients diagnosed with alopecia areata visiting dermatology opd and fulfilling the inclusion criteria were included in the study. A detailed history-taking and clinical examination was conducted and recorded in a predefined performa. All routine blood and radiological investigations, dermoscopic and histopathological examination in doubtful cases. All data were recorded and analyzed with Descriptive statistics and Chi-Square Test. Analyses of collected data were done by SPSS software, version 18.0. Results: A total of 82 patients suffering from alopecia areata were included in our study. 53(64.6%) patients were male and 35(29%) were female. The male-female ratio was 1.5. Classical alopecia areata was the commonest (87.8%) variant noted. Alopecia totalis (6.1%), alopecia universalis (3.6%), and ophiasis pattern (2.4%) were also identified. Scalp (67.3%) was the commonest site involved. Majority of our patients presented to us within 6 months of disease onset. 23 patients (28%) had nail involvement. In our study, Atopy was the most common condition associated condition seen in 10.8 % of cases followed by vitiligo in 4(4.8%), leucotichia in 2(2.4%), lichen planus in 3(3.6%), androgenic alopecia in 4(4.8%) and verruca in 3 (3,4%) cases. Ocular changes were present in 11(13.4%) cases. Conclusion: Alopecia areata mainly affects young and adolescent age group patients. Poor prognostic factors are extensive involvement, early age of onset, and positive family history. The scalp region is most commonly involved. The most common associated condition noted was atopy.