The association of androgenetic alopecia with metabolic syndrome: a case control study on Iranian population

Background: Androgenetic alopecia (AGA) is the most prevailing type of progressive hair loss. Thus far, some previous studies have investigated the correlation between AGA and metabolic syndrome (MetS). However, due to the inconsistency of their results, our study aims at evaluating the association between AGA and MetS. Methods: Fifty two male patients with grade III-V AGA, based on Ebling’s scale, and 50 control subjects were enrolled in the present study. All participants were evaluated for the presence of Mets based on the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) Adult Treatment Panel III (ATP III). Results: The prevalence of MetS was 51.3% in AGA group and 17.8% in control group (P=0.003). Among MetS parameters, Systolic blood pressure (P=0.003) and waist circumference (P<0.001) were statistically significant in AGA patients compared to the control group. Conclusion: Our study demonstrated that the association between AGA and MetS is of great importance. Therefore, early detection can be beneficial for early intervention to lower the incidence of MetS and further complications.