title: Recovery from alopecia areata in a patient with autoimmune polyglandular syndrome type 3.
abstract: Recovery from alopecia is rare in autoimmune polyglandular syndrome (APS). A 41-year-old male was admitted to our hospital with hyperglycemia. He developed alopecia areata (AA) 5 months before admission and developed thirst, polyuria, and anorexia in 2 weeks. His plasma glucose level upon admission was 912 mg/dl (50.63 mmol/l) and HbA1c was 13.7%. Although urinary and plasma C-peptide levels showed that insulin secretion was not depleted, anti-insulinoma-associated antigen 2 antibody was present. In addition, measurement of thyroid autoantibodies revealed the presence of Hashimoto's thyroiditis. These findings suggested a diagnosis of APS type 3. The patient has showed signs of improvement with the continuation of insulin therapy. During the successful control of diabetes, he had total hair regrowth within 2-3 months. Human leukocyte antigen typing showed that DRB1*1501-DQB1*0602 and DQB1*0301 were present. Similar cases should be accumulated to clarify the association of APS type 3 with recovery from AA.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Alopecia in diabetic patients is a suspicious manifestation of autoimmune type 1 diabetes.Patients with autoimmune type 1 diabetes specifically manifesting alopecia should be further examined for diagnosis of APS.Insulin-mediated metabolic improvement may be a factor, but not the sole factor, determining a favorable outcome of alopecia in patients with autoimmune type 1 diabetes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Osaka Gyomeikan Hospital , 5-4-8 Nishikujo, Konohana-ku, Osaka, 554-0012 , Japan.
authors.forename: Shinya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Makino
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Osaka Gyomeikan Hospital , 5-4-8 Nishikujo, Konohana-ku, Osaka, 554-0012 , Japan.
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Uchihashi
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Osaka Gyomeikan Hospital , 5-4-8 Nishikujo, Konohana-ku, Osaka, 554-0012 , Japan.
authors.forename: Yasuo
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kataoka
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Osaka Gyomeikan Hospital , 5-4-8 Nishikujo, Konohana-ku, Osaka, 554-0012 , Japan.
authors.forename: Masayoshi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fujiwara