Vertex balding, plasma insulin-like growth factor 1, and insulin-like growth factor binding protein 3.
BACKGROUND
A recent report suggested that men with vertex balding have higher levels of plasma insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1). The association of its major carrier protein, insulin-like growth factor binding protein 3 (IGFBP-3), with male pattern hair loss has not been examined.


OBJECTIVE
We evaluated the relations of plasma concentrations of IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 with vertex balding in middle-aged and elderly men.


METHODS
Participants were 431 male members of the Health Professionals Follow-up Study who responded to a question in 1992 on their hair pattern at 45 years of age and who were 47 to 81 years old when they provided a blood specimen in 1993-1994. Odds ratios (ORs) of vertex balding associated with IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 were estimated from logistic regression models mutually adjusting for each other and controlling for age at blood draw.


RESULTS
Of the 431 men, 128 had vertex balding at age 45. Compared with men who were not balding, for a 1 standard deviation increase in plasma IGF-1 level (72.4 ng/mL), the OR for vertex balding was 1. 31 (95% CI, 0.95-1.81). For a 1 standard deviation increase in plasma IGFBP-3 (957 ng/mL), the OR for vertex balding was 0.62 (95% CI, 0.44-0.88).


CONCLUSIONS
Older men with vertex balding have lower circulating levels of IGFBP-3 and higher levels of IGF-1 when controlling for IGFBP-3 level.
Platz
E A
EA
Department of Nutrition, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Pollak
M N
MN
Willett
W C
WC
Giovannucci
E
E
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000505:Alopecia / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D018972:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 3 / Q000097:blood*; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000032:analysis*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012535:Scalp
D018972:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 3; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I