The Association of Serum Ferritin Levels With Non-scarring Alopecia in Women

Abstract

We designed this study to evaluate the association of serum ferritin levels with non-scarring alopecia in women. MethodologyAll patients were diagnosed by performing a clinical examination of the crown part width and occiput. Ludwig's classification was used to categorize the cases into grades I-III. Different laboratory tests were performed for the baseline investigation, including serum iron, total iron-binding capacity (TIBC), hemogram, and thyroid function tests. Of the 5 ml of venous blood drawn for routine biochemical tests, 3 ml was stored at -20°C for measuring serum ferritin, while the other 2 ml was sent for a complete blood count. Student's t-test, a chi-square test, and Fisher's exact test were used for comparing the variables. ResultsThis study recruited 100 cases of alopecia. Out of them, 46% of patients were diagnosed with alopecia areata, 25% of cases reported androgenetic alopecia, and 29% of cases of telogen effluvium were also observed. We observed overall mean serum ferritin levels of 20.47±17.50 and 27.87±17.51 in the case versus the control group with a statistically significant difference of 0.005. ConclusionOur study shows that iron stores are one of the independent hazards of alopecia in non-menopausal women. Thus, proper laboratory examination is needed to manage the disease prevalence and prognosis.

Association of Low Serum Ferritin Levels in Patients Having Alopecia Areata: A Case Control Study

“…The results of our study offer further support for the theory that there is a link between low serum ferritin levels and alopecia areata. In our research, we defined low serum ferritin levels as those below 20 ng/mL, which is consistent with the lower limit of normal serum ferritin levels established in a study conducted by Muhammad Fawad et al 20 . His study also reported that the average serum ferritin level in the group with alopecia areata was 19.71 ± 18.56 mg/mL, and 65.2% of individuals in the case group had low serum ferritin 20 .…”

“…In our research, we defined low serum ferritin levels as those below 20 ng/mL, which is consistent with the lower limit of normal serum ferritin levels established in a study conducted by Muhammad Fawad et al 20 . His study also reported that the average serum ferritin level in the group with alopecia areata was 19.71 ± 18.56 mg/mL, and 65.2% of individuals in the case group had low serum ferritin 20 . These findings closely mirror the results obtained in our own study.…”

“…Considering that low serum ferritin levels are primarily attributed to iron deficiency 19 , it is reasonable to speculate that patients experiencing alopecia areata could potentially derive benefits from oral iron supplementation. Muhammad Fawad Aslam conducted a study aimed at investigating the connection between serum ferritin levels and nonscarring alopecia among females 20 . The analysis revealed that the individuals in the case group exhibited lower levels of hemoglobin, hematocrit, mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH), and transferrin saturation compared to those in the control group.…”

A prospective, randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled study for safety and efficacy of SesZen-Bio™: a proprietary Sesbania grandiflora extract in managing hair and scalp health in healthy adults

“…About 25% of the body's iron is stored in serum ferritin, and fluctuations in these levels may impact the process of hair growth. 36 The test treatment used here restores iron levels in blood and helps in managing hair loss caused by iron deficiency. This is attributed to improved serum ferritin content by 27% post consumption of test treatment.…”