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Alopecia areata and overt thyroid diseases: A nationwide population‐based study
Author(s) -
Han Tae Young,
Lee June Hyunkyung,
Noh Tai Kyung,
Choi Min Wha,
Yun JaeSeung,
Lee Kyung Ho,
Bae Jung Min
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
the journal of dermatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.9
H-Index - 65
eISSN - 1346-8138
pISSN - 0385-2407
DOI - 10.1111/1346-8138.14648
Subject(s) - alopecia areata , medicine , alopecia universalis , odds ratio , thyroiditis , confidence interval , graves' disease , population , thyroid disease , thyroid , hashimoto disease , gastroenterology , dermatology , environmental health
An association between alopecia areata ( AA ) and other autoimmune diseases has been reported. We investigated the associations between AA and overt autoimmune thyroid diseases. A nationwide, population‐based, cross‐sectional study was performed using the Korea National Health Insurance claims database. We defined patients with AA as those whose records showed at least four physician contacts in which AA , alopecia totalis ( AT ) or alopecia universalis ( AU ) was the principal diagnosis. We also established an age‐ and sex‐matched control group without AA . In a subgroup analysis, patients with AT or AU were classified into the severe AA group, and the remainder were classified into the mild to moderate AA group. Patients with AA were at an increased risk of Graves’ disease (odds ratio [ OR ], 1.415; 95% confidence interval [ CI ], 1.317–1.520) and Hashimoto thyroiditis ( OR , 1.157; 95% CI , 1.081–1.237), and the associations were stronger in the severe AA group (Graves’ disease: OR , 1.714; 95% CI , 1.387–2.118; Hashimoto thyroiditis: OR , 1.398; 95% CI , 1.137–1.719). In conclusion, AA was significantly associated with overt autoimmune thyroid diseases. Furthermore, the risk was much higher in the severe AA group.