Comparison of Serum Level of Sex Hormones in Patients with Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia with Control Group

CONTEXT: Although etiopathogenesis of frontal fibrosing alopecia (FFA) is not fully discovered, it seems that hormonal factors play a role. AIMS: The aim of this study was to investigate the serum level of sex hormones in patients with FFA compared to a control group. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: This was a case–control study. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: All patients who referred to the Dermatology Clinic of Faghihi Hospital, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, between 2013 and 2018 and were pathologically and clinically diagnosed with FFA were considered as the case group. The control group was selected from community people who did not have alopecia, and each was matched with its counterpart in the case group in terms of gender, age, and menstrual status. Both the groups were evaluated for serum level of sex hormones. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: SPSS software version 23 was used in this study. RESULTS: Of 20 patients, who were all female, 8 were postmenopausal and 12 were cyclic. There was no significant difference between sex hormone levels of the case and control groups regardless of their menstrual statuses. Similarly, there was no significant difference between hormonal levels in postmenopausal women of both the groups. However, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) was significantly lower in the case group cyclic women. Moreover, postmenopausal patients with premenopausal onset of FFA had lower levels of FSH and luteinizing hormone than those with postmenopausal onset. Free testosterone correlated inversely with duration of FFA. CONCLUSIONS: It seems that the pathogenesis of FFA is not associated directly with serum concentrations of sex hormones. Therefore, future studies are recommended to investigate possible tissue mechanisms of hormonal factors involved in its pathogenesis.