PMID- 11702308
OWN - NLM
STAT- MEDLINE
DCOM- 20020716
LR  - 20181025
IS  - 1175-0561 (Print)
IS  - 1175-0561 (Linking)
VI  - 1
IP  - 2
DP  - 2000 Mar-Apr
TI  - Alopecia areata. Pathogenesis, diagnosis, and therapy.
PG  - 101-5
AB  - Alopecia areata is a common form of non-scarring alopecia that appears equally in 
      males and females of any age, although children and adolescents are more commonly 
      affected. The disorder is usually characterized by limited alopecic patches on 
      the scalp, but more severe forms may affect the entire scalp (alopecia totalis) 
      or body (alopecia universalis). Characteristic nail changes may also accompany 
      hair loss. Alopecia areata has been linked with certain human leukocyte antigen 
      (HLA) class II alleles, indicating a probable autoimmune etiology. Current 
      research implicates T lymphocytes in the pathogenetic mechanism of disease. Other 
      autoimmune diseases are also linked with alopecia areata. The diagnosis of 
      alopecia areata is usually made clinically, although a biopsy is diagnostic for 
      this condition. Treatment is challenging and aims at the regrowth of hair in 
      affected individuals. Intralesional corticosteroid injections are widely used in 
      mild disease. Topical anthralin and minoxidil may also be clinically efficacious. 
      Topical sensitizers, such as squaric acid dibutlyester and 
      diphenyl-cyclopropenone, are sometimes employed. Various therapies for the 
      disease may have efficacy in different patients, making a universal treatment 
      algorithm difficult to implement. Patients should be handled on an individual 
      basis, with the final outcome based on the cosmetic regrowth of hair. Maintenance 
      therapy is also important in patients that do achieve acceptable regrowth, 
      necessitating a highly motivated patient and good rapport with the treating 
      physician.
FAU - Papadopoulos, A J
AU  - Papadopoulos AJ
AD  - New Jersey Medical School, Newark, New Jersey, USA.
FAU - Schwartz, R A
AU  - Schwartz RA
FAU - Janniger, C K
AU  - Janniger CK
LA  - eng
PT  - Journal Article
PT  - Review
PL  - New Zealand
TA  - Am J Clin Dermatol
JT  - American journal of clinical dermatology
JID - 100895290
SB  - IM
MH  - *Alopecia Areata/diagnosis/drug therapy/etiology
MH  - Diagnosis, Differential
MH  - Humans
RF  - 80
EDAT- 2001/11/13 10:00
MHDA- 2002/07/18 10:01
CRDT- 2001/11/13 10:00
PHST- 2001/11/13 10:00 [pubmed]
PHST- 2002/07/18 10:01 [medline]
PHST- 2001/11/13 10:00 [entrez]
AID - 10.2165/00128071-200001020-00004 [doi]
PST - ppublish
SO  - Am J Clin Dermatol. 2000 Mar-Apr;1(2):101-5. doi: 
      10.2165/00128071-200001020-00004.