title: Both low circulating insulin-like growth factor-1 and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol are associated with hair loss in middle-aged women.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Multiple biomarkers have been associated with hair loss in women, but studies have shown inconsistent results.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We investigated the associations between markers of cardiovascular disease risk (e.g. serum lipid levels and hypertension) and ageing [e.g. 25-hydroxyvitamin D and insulin-like growth factor (IGF)] with hair loss in a population of middle-aged women.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a random subgroup of 323 middle-aged women (mean age 61·5 years) from the Leiden Longevity Study, hair loss was graded by three assessors using the Sinclair scale; women with a mean score > 1·5 were classified as cases with hair loss.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Every 1 SD increase in high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol was associated with a 0·65-times lower risk [95% confidence interval (CI) 0·46-0·91] of hair loss. For IGF-1 the risk was 0·68 times lower (95% CI 0·48-0·97) per 1 SD increase, independently of the other studied variables. Women with both IGF-1 and HDL cholesterol levels below the medians of the study population had a 3·47-times higher risk (95% CI 1·30-9·25) of having hair loss.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Low HDL cholesterol and IGF-1 were associated with a higher risk of hair loss in women. However, further studies are required to infer causal relationships.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gerontology and Geriatrics, Leiden University Medical Center, PO Box 9600, 2300 RC, Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Noordam
authors.affiliation: Unilever Discover, Sharnbrook, Bedfordshire, U.K.
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Gunn
authors.affiliation: Department of Gerontology and Geriatrics, Leiden University Medical Center, PO Box 9600, 2300 RC, Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: van Drielen
authors.affiliation: Westgate Consultancy Ltd, Stevington, Bedfordshire, U.K.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Westgate
authors.affiliation: Section of Molecular Epidemiology, Department of Medical Statistics and Bioinformatics, Leiden University Medical Center, PO Box 9600, 2300 RC, Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: P E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Slagboom
authors.affiliation: Department of Gerontology and Geriatrics, Leiden University Medical Center, PO Box 9600, 2300 RC, Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: A J M
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: de Craen
authors.affiliation: Department of Gerontology and Geriatrics, Leiden University Medical Center, PO Box 9600, 2300 RC, Leiden, The Netherlands. d.van_heemst@lumc.nl.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: van Heemst
mesh_terms: D000505:Alopecia / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000378:metabolism*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000378:metabolism; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D001786:Blood Glucose; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D007328:Insulin; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I