May, 2004
The role of psychological factors in alopecia areata and the
impact of the disease on the quality of life.
Gulec AT, Tanriverdi N, Duru C, Saray Y, Akcali C.
Departments of Dermatology and Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Baskent
University, Ankara, Turkey.
BACKGROUND: The role of psychological factors in the pathogenesis of alopecia
areata (AA) has long been the subject of debate. Numerous studies have provided
controversial results.
AIM: This case-control study was undertaken to determine
the significance of stressful life events and other psychological factors in the etiopathogenesis of AA. The impact of the disease on the quality of life was
also assessed.
METHODS: Fifty-two adult patients (18 females and 34 males)
diagnosed with AA and 52 age- and sex-matched individuals selected from hospital
staff without any hair loss (control group) were evaluated using the major life
events scale, Beck depression and Beck anxiety inventories, and the Short
Form-36 health survey (SF-36).
In addition, comparison was performed between two
patient groups created according to whether or not they linked emotional trauma
with their AA attack.
RESULTS: There was no statistically significant difference
between the patient and control groups with regard to the total scores of
stressful major life events, depression, and anxiety.
Of the eight subscales on
SF-36, vitality and mental health scores were higher in the control group,
whereas social functioning scores were higher in the patients.
The total number
of stressful life events was higher in patients who attributed their disease to
a stressful life event than in those who did not.
CONCLUSIONS: It appears
unlikely that anxiety and depression play a major role in the etiopathogenesis
of AA, but stressful life events may act as a trigger in the onset and/or
exacerbation of the disease.
Furthermore, AA seems to have a partly negative
impact on the health-related quality of life.
PMID: 15117365 [PubMed - in process]
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