title: Frequency and associated factors of hair loss among patients with inflammatory bowel disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To identify the frequency of hair loss among patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and associated clinical and disease related factors.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed a cross sectional study in a tertiary referral adult IBD clinic. Self-reported history and characteristics of hair loss as well as clinical and demographic information were collected. Data were analyzed using univariate and multivariate analyses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Two hundred and ten consecutive IBD patients were recruited; one hundred and fifty patients met predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Thirty-three percent of patients reported a history of hair loss. Age, gender, IBD type and disease duration were not associated with hair loss. Hair loss was reported less frequently among patients with use of mesalamine (54% vs 73%, P = 0.03) and anti-tumor necrosis factor medications (anti-TNF) (14% vs 40%, P = 0.001). In multivariate analyses adjusting for gender, IBD type and duration of disease, these associations with mesalamine and anti-TNF remained significant [(adjusted values for mesalamine (OR = 0.43, 95%CI: 0.19-0.86) and anti-TNFs (OR = 0.28, 95%CI: 0.08-0.98)].
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Hair loss is common among patients with IBD. Mesalamine and anti-TNF medications were associated with lower odds of hair loss. Further studies are required to assess the mechanism of hair loss among patients with IBD.
authors.affiliation: Rajesh Shah, Department of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, United States.
authors.forename: Rajesh
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Shah
authors.affiliation: Rajesh Shah, Department of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, United States.
authors.forename: Bincy
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Abraham
authors.affiliation: Rajesh Shah, Department of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, United States.
authors.forename: Jason
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hou
authors.affiliation: Rajesh Shah, Department of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, United States.
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sellin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000505:Alopecia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001688:Biological Products / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015212:Inflammatory Bowel Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D019804:Mesalamine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D016017:Odds Ratio; D065840:Protective Factors; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D062606:Tertiary Care Centers; D013781:Texas / Q000453:epidemiology; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D001688:Biological Products; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D019804:Mesalamine
keywords: Alopecia; Crohn’s disease; Inflammatory bowel disease; Ulcerative colitis