Alopecia Areata

P O P U L AT I O N A N D CO M M U N I T Y S T U D I E S
Alopecia areata: characteristics and associated diseases

among patients in Aden, Yemen
Asia Hassan Abdulla Saleh

Amer Omer Abdullah Bin Alzou
Associate Professor of Dermatology, Department of Dermatology,

Faculty of Medicine, University of Aden, Yemen
Corresponding author:
Dr. Amer Omer Bin Al-Zou
Associate Professor, Dermatology,
Faculty of Medicine, University of Aden, Yemen.
Mobile: +967 736 361 344
Email: amer_zou2009@yahoo.com
Received: May 2021; Accepted: June 2021; Published: July 1, 2021.

Citation: Asia Hassan Abdulla Saleh, Amer Omer Abdullah Bin Alzou. Alopecia areata: characteristics and
associated diseases among patients in Aden, Yemen. World Family Medicine. 2021; 19(7): 70-77
DOI: 10.5742/MEWFM.2021.94079
Abstract
Objective: The aim of the study was to describe the Family history was positive among 9.9% of
demographic and clinical characteristics of alopecia patients and the most of alopecia areata patterns
areata and to determine the associated diseases were patchy with (83.3%).
among patients.
Also, multiple patches were the most common type
Materials and method: This is a retrospective study (60.0%) followed by single patches (33.3%).
of all patients who presented with alopecia areata
and who were seen in our two private dermatology Pitting was the most common presenting nail chang-
clinics in Aden. The patients’ charts retrieved ob- es, being found in (11.6%) patients. Atopic derma-
tained the study data. The data was analyzed using titis (4.4%), hypothyroid (2.8%), were the most
SPSS version 17. common comorbidities. The most site involvement
was the scalp (89.2%). The mean disease duration
The relationships between study variables and sex at the time of presentation for all patients was 3.7
were examined using Pearson’s Chi-square Test. months.
Significance was considered at P value ≤ 0.05.
Conclusion: This study highlights the importance of
Results: The total patients were 264 (females 61.7% further studies in this field.
and males 38.3%).
Key words: Alopecia areata, clinical characteristics,
The mean age of patients was 18 years. The rela- associated diseases, Aden
tion between age and means of gender were statis-
tically highly significant (p = 0.000).
The age group 1 – 10 years represented (36.7%)

cases, followed by the age group 11 – 20 years with
(24.1%) of cases.
In male patients the peak age of onset was in the

ages 21-30 years with (13.3%).
Ninety (96%) of the cases occurred in the age of ≤

40 years (p = 0.003).
WORLD FAMILY MEDICINE/MIDDLE EAST JOURNAL OF FAMILY MEDICINE VOLUME 19 ISSUE 7 JULY 2021
70 M I D D L E E A S T J O U R N A L O F FA M I LY M E D I C I N E • V O LU M E 7 , I S S U E 1 0
The aim of the study was to describe the demographic and

Introduction
clinical characteristics of alopecia areata and to determine
Alopecia areata (AA) is a form of alopecia caused the associated diseases among Yemeni patients in Aden.
by autoimmune attack of the hair follicles. This most
commonly results in discrete, circular patches of alopecia
Materials and Method
on the scalp or in the beard region [1]. This is a retrospective study of all patients who presented
with alopecia areata and who were seen in our two private
This hair follicle disorder is a common disease with an dermatology clinics in Aden during the period from January
incidence of 2-3% among the dermatoses and 0.1% in the 2016 to December 2018.
population at large [2].
The total study patients during this period were 264. The
Alopecia areata is manifested as the loss of hair in well- patients’ charts were retrieved and obtained data about
circumscribed patches of normal-appearing skin, most sex, age, alopecia areata patterns, family history, type
commonly on the scalp and in the region of the beard [3]. of patches, nail changes, the variables of associated
The onset is typically rapid, and the disease can progress diseases, site involvements and the mean disease duration
at the time of presentation.
to the point where all the hair is lost on the scalp (alopecia
areata totalis) or even on the whole body (alopecia areata The data was analyzed using SPSS version 17. Data was
universalis). Variants of this disorder include ophiasis, (in presented as frequencies and percentages for categorized
which hair loss affects the occipital scalp); diffuse forms variables and as means and standard deviation for
of alopecia; and “sudden graying,” a variant in which continuous variables. The relationships between study
pigmented hair follicles are attacked, with the result that variables and sex were examined using Pearson’s Chi-
preexisting gray hairs are demasked [4,5]. square Test. Significance was considered at P value ≤
0.05.
Hence, it has now been widely postulated that AA is
an organ-specific autoimmune disease with genetic
predisposition and an environmental trigger [6,7].
Results
A total of 264 alopecia areata patients were included during the study period; out of them 163 (61.7%) were females
and 101 (38.3%) were males, with a female to male ratio of 1.6:1. The mean age of females was 15.8 years (SD = ±11.6
years) and the age ranged between 1 year to 58 years, while the mean age of males was 21.4 years (SD = ±12.1 years)
and the age ranged between 1 year to 60 years.
The mean age of all patients was 18 years (SD = ±12.1 years) and the age ranged from 1 year to 60 years. The relation
between means showed statistically highly significant (p = 0.000).
Table 1: Mean age of patients related to sex
* SD = Standard deviation
P = 0.000
Table 2 shows the age group 1 – 10 years represented 97 (36.7%) cases, followed by the age group 11 – 20 years with
64 (24.1%) cases, the age group 21 – 30 years with 63 (23.9%), and the age group 31 – 40 years with 30 (11.4%).
The age group 41 – 50 years were 8 (3.2%) patients and the age group ≥ 51 years were 2 (0.8%). It is also, noted that
in male patients the peak age of onset was in the ages 21-30 years with 35 (13.3%).
Ninety (96%) of the cases occurred in the age of 40 years and less than 40 years.
The difference between values of gender related to age groups is statistically significant (p = 0.003), (Table 2).
Also, Table 2 reveals that in 26 (9.9%) patients, their families had a history of the disease. They were 15 (5.7%) females
and 11 (4.2%) males, (p-value > 0.05).
M I D D L E E A S T J O U R N A L O F FA M I LY M E D I C I N E • V O LU M E 7 , I S S U E 1 0 71
Most alopecia areata patterns were patchy with 220 (83.3%) followed by patchy + ophiasis with 27 (10.2%), alopecia
universalis 8 (3%), alopecia totalis 7 (2.7%) and alopecia ophiasis 2 (0.8%), (p-value > 0.05); see images 1 and 2.
Table 2 also illustrates the number of patches. Multiple patches were the most common type 161 (61.0%) followed by
single patches 88 (33.3%), see images 3 and 4.
Pitting was the most common presenting nail changes, being found in 30 (11.6%) patients followed by trachyonychia in
6 (2.4%) patients and were more common in male patients 5 (2.0%) cases.
We found 3 (1.2%) cases of leuconychia and 2 (0.8%) cases of Beau’s line and both nail changes were in female
patients.
The difference between values of gender related to nail changes is statistically not significant (p > 0.05), as shown in
Table 2.
Table 2: Distribution of demographic and clinical characteristics related to sex of the study patients (n=264)
Associated diseases were found in 27 (10.8%) patients. Atopic dermatitis 11 (4.4%), Hypothyroid 7(2.8%), were the
most common comorbidities, followed by vitiligo in 4 (1.6%) patients, hyperthyroidism and diabetes mellitus each were
found in 2 (0.8%) patients. Down syndrome was found in 1 (0.4%) patient, as shown in Table 3.
Also, Table 3 reveals the most site involvement is the scalp 237 (89.2%) followed by a few percentages of different sites:
universalis 8 (3.2%), scalp + eye brows 6 (2.4%), scalp + barbae + moustache 6 (2.4%), scalp + barbae 5 (2.0%) and
scalp + eye brows + moustache 2 (0.8%).
Table 3: Frequency of associated diseases and site involvement of patients with alopecia areata (n=264)
Table 4 shows the mean disease duration at the time of presentation for all patients was 3.7 months (for females was
3.7 and for males was 3.9 months).
Table 4: Mean disease duration at the time of presentation
* SD = Standard deviation
P > 0.05
Image 1: Alopecia Ophiasis Image 2: Alopecia totalis
Image 3: Multiple patches alopecia areata Image 4: Single patch alopecia areata
in children data between 10% and 51.6% are reported

Discussion
[26,27].
AA is a condition in which hair is lost from some or all
We found in our study that most alopecia areata patterns
areas of the body, usually from the scalp. Commonly, AA
were patchy with (83.3%) followed by patchy + ophiasis
involves hair loss in one or more round spots on the scalp.
with 27 (10.2%). Similar findings to ours were reported by
Hair may also be lost more diffusely over the whole scalp,
others [17,28].
in which case the condition is called diffuse AA [8].
Alshahrani et al [17] found in their study the most common
Amin et al [9] reported that AA is a disease characterized
type of AA in both adult and pediatric groups was the
by areas of non-scarring hair loss that may take the form
patchy type involving the scalp.
of a single round, oval patch or even multiple patches
A study conducted in Saudi Arabia by Alsaiari et al [29]
that might become confluent. It can affect both men and
found the patchy alopecia areata was the most common
women equally at any age. Children and young adults are
pattern seen in (73.6%) patients followed by ophiasis in
prone more to have the disease, with 30% to 48% of the
(12%) patients.
patients being affected before the age of 20 years [10].
In the present study multiple patches were the most
A systematic review in the United States of America
common type (60.0%) followed by single patches
concluded that there is no difference in the incidence of
(33.3%).
AA between males and females [11].
Alopecia areata is characterized by single or multiple well
In our study, we observed female predominance for AA,
demarcated patches of hair loss, typically on the scalp and
with a female to male ratio of 1.6:1. This finding is in
occasionally in the beard, eyebrows, eyelashes, or other
agreement with other studies [12,13], while other studies
hair-bearing areas of the body [18,30].
showed male predominance [14,15,16, 17].
In the current study, we found pitting was the most common
However, the results of the literature are disparate. Thus,
presenting nail changes, being found in (11.6%) patients
for some authors, AA affects men and women with the
followed by trachyonychia in (2.4%) patients and more
same proportions [18,19].
common in male patients (2.0%).
In our current study we found the mean age of onset of AA
We also found, (1.2%) cases of leuconychia and (0.8%)
was 18 years (SD = ±12.1 years) with 96% of the cases
cases of Beau’s line and these two clinical pictures of nail
occurring in the age 40 years and less than 40 years.
changes were in female patients.
Our finding was in accordance with a study conducted
in Saudi Arabia by Al-Khawajah [20] in which the mean
Ranawaka [31] reported that nail changes consisting of
age of onset was 18.9 ±11.2 years with 95% of the cases
pitting, trachyonychia, and longitudinal ridging, were seen
occurring before the age of 40 years.
in (9%) and were more frequent in those with extensive
disease (52%). Nail pitting was the commonest association
In previous studies done in Singapore, and India, the majority
observed.
of cases occurred before the age of 40 years [15, 21].
Nail changes occur in 10.5%–38% of AA patients, with
The mean age of females was 15.8 years (SD = ±11.6
common findings including pitting, trachyonychia, and
years) while the mean age of males was 21.4 years (SD
longitudinal ridging [15,21]. Nail changes correlated with
= ±12.1 years). The relation between means showed
disease severity, as they were found in more severe AA
statistically highly significant (p = 0.000).
[15,21]. Furthermore, nail dystrophy is a poor prognostic
indictor of AA [32].
It is also, noted that in male patients the peak age of onset
was in the ages 21-30 years with 35 (13.3%). Achar et al
In our study, the associated diseases were found in
[22] reported similar finding from Pakistan.
(10.4%) patients. Atopic dermatitis (4.2%), Hypothyroid
(2.7%), were the most common comorbidities, followed by
In our present study (9.9%) patients, their families had a
vitiligo in (1.6%) patients, hyperthyroidism and diabetes
history of alopecia areata. Similar findings reported from
mellitus with each one were found in (0.8%) patients.
Pakistan [23] and from Saudi Arabia [17].
Down syndrome was found in (0.4%) of patients.
Review of literature has revealed variable results [24].
Alopecia areata is associated with several concurrent
Kavak et al [13] have shown a positive family history in
diseases (comorbidities) including depression, anxiety, and
24.1% of their patients. In a Chinese study, incidence of
several autoimmune diseases including thyroid disease
family history was found in 8.4% of patients [16].
(hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism, goiter and thyroiditis),
lupus erythematosus, vitiligo, psoriasis, rheumatoid
Several lines of evidence support the notion that alopecia
arthritis and inflammatory bowel disease [33].
areata has a genetic basis. In general, the prevalence of
adult patients is between 0% and 8.6% [16,25], whereas
The frequency of these concurrent diseases varies dermatitis, hypothyroid, vitiligo, hyperthyroidism, diabetes
between geographically separate populations, which mellitus and Down syndrome. This study highlights the
may suggest genetic variability within these different importance of further studies in this field.
populations [34].
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P O P U L AT I O N A N D CO M M U N I T Y S T U D I E S

Alopecia areata: characteristics and associated diseases

Asia Hassan Abdulla Saleh

Associate Professor of Dermatology, Department of Dermatology,

Received: May 2021; Accepted: June 2021; Published: July 1, 2021.

The age group 1 – 10 years represented (36.7%)

In male patients the peak age of onset was in the

Ninety (96%) of the cases occurred in the age of ≤

The aim of the study was to describe the demographic and

Table 1: Mean age of patients related to sex

Table 4: Mean disease duration at the time of presentation

Image 1: Alopecia Ophiasis Image 2: Alopecia totalis

in children data between 10% and 51.6% are reported

18. Madani S, Shapiro J. Alopecia areata update. J Am

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