Are patients with alopecia areata more likely to have other dermatologic conditions?
Assistant Professor
Mount Sinai Ichan School of Medicine
New York, NY
They are, they are. So we see a lot of comorbid, for example, atopic dermatitis with alopecia areata, that's a big one. But these autoimmune diseases tend to run in families, and so maybe the aunt has thyroid disease and then sister has atopic dermatitis. But it certainly, you know, we see a lot of eczema in the AA population.
Summary
In this video, Dr. Michael Cameron addresses the question of whether patients with alopecia areata are more likely to have other dermatologic conditions. He confirms that patients with alopecia areata indeed have a higher likelihood of experiencing other dermatologic conditions. One common comorbid condition seen with alopecia areata is atopic dermatitis. Dr. Cameron explains that autoimmune diseases, including alopecia areata, often run in families. Consequently, it's possible for family members to have different autoimmune conditions, such as thyroid disease or atopic dermatitis. Additionally, he mentions that the alopecia areata population frequently exhibits cases of eczema (atopic dermatitis). The video emphasizes the existence of these associations and suggests that understanding such connections may be helpful for clinicians in diagnosing and treating patients with alopecia areata.
Key Points
- Patients with alopecia areata are more likely to have other dermatologic conditions.
- Comorbid conditions are common, with atopic dermatitis being a significant one.
- Autoimmune diseases often run in families, suggesting a genetic link. • There may be a pattern where certain family members have different autoimmune conditions, e.g., one family member having thyroid disease and another having atopic dermatitis.
- Among the AA (alopecia areata) population, eczema (atopic dermatitis) is frequently observed.