Clinical and demographic profile of childhood alopecia areata in Iran

Objective: To evaluate the clinical profile of alopecia areata (AA) in Iranian children. Patients and methods: One hundred Iranian children aged less than 16 years participated in this cross-sectional study. Data were obtained by administering a parental-recall questionnaire; and clinical and demographic parameters and associated diseases were evaluated. Results: The mean age of AA onset was 8.9±2.1 years. The scalp was the most common site of involvement. Thirty-five percent of the patients had a precipitating factor, with psychological stress being the most common factor. Associated diseases were recorded in 60% of the patients, with the most common associated disease being eczema. Twenty-one percent of the patients were positive for a family history of AA. Severity and extent of the disease and the age of onset showed significant relationships with parents’ educational and economic status (p 0.05). Nail changes were also strongly associated with severity and extent of the disease (p=0.006). Conclusion: Our results suggest that the severity and extent of the disease both increase with an early age of onset, low parent educational levels, low socioeconomic status, and nail changes.