|
|
|
December, 2003
Roles of stress, stress perception and
trait-anxiety in the onset and course of alopecia areata.
Brajac I, Tkalcic M, Dragojevic DM, Gruber F.
Department of Dermatovenerology, University Hospital Centre, Rijeka University
School of Medicine, Croatia.
Clinical observations suggest that the nervous system, including psychological
factors, can influence the onset and course of alopecia areata (AA).
The aim of
this study was to determine whether stressful life events, stress perception,
and trait-anxiety are risk factors in the onset and course of AA.
A group of 45
patients diagnosed with AA and a group of 45 healthy controls were participants
in the study. The patients with AA were divided into two subgroups: patients
with a first episode of AA and patients with recidivism of the disease.
All
participants completed questionnaires addressing sociodemographic, clinical and
psychological aspects of their disorder. The frequency and types of stressful
life events experienced over the previous six months were recorded. Lemyre and
Tessier's Mesure de Stress Psychologique was used to measure emotional,
cognitive, behavioral, and physiological aspects of distress. Anxiety was
evaluated by the Spielberg's Trait Anxiety Inventory.
The subgroups of AA and
the control group, using the same numbers of subjects matched for age and sex,
education level, marital and employment status, were statistically compared. The
number of patients with four stressful life events over the previous 6 months
was significantly higher in the group of AA patients with recidivism of disease
compared to the control group (P=0.004).
There were no differences among the
other groups with respect to the frequency of life events. Examination of the
relationships between the two groups regarding anxiety, as well as perceived
distress, revealed that the groups differed significantly with respect to
psychosocial variables studied. A significantly higher degree of trait-anxiety
and perceived distress were observed among patients in both AA subgroups (first
onset and recidivism of AA) than in the healthy control group.
The highest
scores for anxiety and stress perception among examined groups were obtained in
the group with recidivism of AA (33.42 +/- 12.71 and 90.32 +/- 50.74,
respectively). Trait-anxiety and stress perception constitutes risk factors that
may influence the onset and exacerbation of AA.
The present study does not
provide evidence of a significant role of stress in the onset of AA. Life events
may play an important role in triggering of some episodes.
PMID: 14739513 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
 
Hair loss products and Hair loss treatments
|
|
