title: Androgenetic alopecia as an indicator of metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular risk.
abstract: Numerous studies have investigated a probable association between androgenetic alopecia (AGA) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) by researching limited and dispersed parameters. We aimed to evaluate both traditional and non-traditional cardiovascular risk factors in male patients with early-onset AGA. This case-control study included 68 participants: 51 male patients with early-onset AGA and 17 healthy male controls. Patients with AGA were classified into three groups according to the Hamilton-Norwood scale and the presence of vertex hair loss. Traditional and non-traditional cardiovascular risk factors were examined in all study subjects. Metabolic syndrome was diagnosed in 25 patients with AGA and in two control subjects (p < 0.05). The carotid intima-media thickness values were found to be significantly higher in patients with vertex pattern AGA than in patients without vertex baldness and controls (p < 0.05). The pulse-wave velocity values were also found to be significantly higher in patients (p < 0.001). A limitation of this study was the small study population. In conclusion, vertex pattern AGA appears to be a marker for early atherosclerosis. This finding supports the hypothesis that early-onset AGA alone could be an independent risk factor for CVD and metabolic syndrome.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Dermatology and Venereology , Kayseri Education and Research Hospital , Kayseri , Turkey ;
authors.forename: Ragip
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ertas
authors.affiliation: b Department of Cardiology , Sivas State Hospital , Sivas , Turkey ;
authors.forename: Ozcan
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Orscelik
authors.affiliation: c Department of Dermatology and Venereology , Erciyes University Faculty of Medicine , Kayseri , Turkey ;
authors.forename: Demet
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kartal
authors.affiliation: d Department of Cardiology , Erciyes University Faculty of Medicine , Kayseri , Turkey ;
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dogan
authors.affiliation: e Department of Internal Medicine , Erciyes University Faculty of Medicine , Kayseri , Turkey ;
authors.forename: Sule Ketenci
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Ertas
authors.affiliation: f Department of Dermatology and Venereology , Elazığ Education and Research Hospital , Elazığ , Turkey.
authors.forename: Ebru Guler
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Aydogdu
authors.affiliation: c Department of Dermatology and Venereology , Erciyes University Faculty of Medicine , Kayseri , Turkey ;
authors.forename: Ozcan
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Ascioglu
authors.affiliation: c Department of Dermatology and Venereology , Erciyes University Faculty of Medicine , Kayseri , Turkey ;
authors.forename: Murat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Borlu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000505:Alopecia / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D059168:Carotid Intima-Media Thickness; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Androgenetic alopecia; arterial stiffness; cardiovascular risk factors; carotid intima–media thickness; insulin resistance; metabolic syndrome