Thyroid Functions in Patients with Diffuse Hair Loss
Published Oct 1, 2022 · Dounia Mammar Kebbab, Samia Mohamed El-said Abd El-Naby, Sara Hamdy Fouad
The Egyptian Journal of Hospital Medicine
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Abstract
Background: The function, growth, and development of every system in the body, including the hair follicle, are influenced by thyroid hormones. Numerous studies have demonstrated the expression of thyroid hormone nuclear thyroid receptors (TRs) in hair follicle cells. Thus, hair loss may be a symptom of thyroid disease, either hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism. Objective: The aim of the current study is to investigate whether diffuse hair loss may be associated with thyroid dysfunctions. Patients and methods: A cross sectional study was conducted on three groups of subjects, including 120 female patients suffering from diffuse hair loss; half of them do not have associated systemic disease or triggering factor and 60 ethnically, age and sex matched, healthy control subjects. Patients and control subjects were recruited from the Dermatology Outpatient Clinic of between March 2021 and June 2021. Results: There was a statistical significant difference in thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) concentrations between 1 st and 2 nd group (P<0.001). TSH concentrations were higher among 2 nd group than 1 st group. As regard thyroxine free (FT4) levels, there was no statistical significant difference between the two groups of cases. There was a statistically significant difference in thyroid dysfunction in diffuse hair loss patients with associated disease compared to diffuse hair loss patients without associated disease and controls. None of the cases with diffuse hair loss without systemic disease (1 st group) had thyroid disorders. While 16.6% of the cases with associated systemic disease (2 nd group) had thyroid disorders, 3.33% were diagnosed with hyperthyroidism; 6.66% were diagnosed with overt hypothyroidism while the last 6.66% were diagnosed with subclinical hypothyroidism. Conclusion: Abnormal thyroid functions were noted in a significant number of cases of diffuse hair loss making it mandatory to investigate them in all cases of diffuse hair loss in adult women. Keyboards: Thyroid functions, Hair loss, TSH, Free T4.