Italian National Registry of Alopecia Areata: an epidemiological study of 699 Italian patients

Abstract

Background: Alopecia areata (AA) is an organ-specific autoimmune disease that affects the hair follicles of the scalp and the rest of the body causing hair loss. Due to the unpredictable course of AA and the different degrees of severity of hair loss, only a few well-designed clinical studies with a low number of patients are available. Also, there is no specific cure, but topical and systemic anti-inflammatory and immune system suppressant drugs are used for treatment. The need to create a global registry of AA, comparable and reproducible in all countries, has recently emerged. An Italian multicentric electronic registry is proposed as a model to facilitate and guide the recording of epidemiological and clinical data and to monitor the introduction of new therapies in patients with AA.

Methods: The aim of this study was to evaluate the epidemiological data of patients with AA by collecting detailed information on the course of the disease, associated diseases, concomitant and previous events, and the clinical response to traditional treatments. Estimate the impact on the quality of life of patients.

Results: The creation of the National Register of AA has proven to be a valid tool for recording, with a standardized approach, epidemiological data, the trend of AA, response to therapies and quality of life.

Conclusions: AA is confirmed as a difficult hair disease to manage due to its unpredictable course and, in most cases, its chronic-relapsing course, capable of having a significant impact on the quality of life of patients.