Association of Early-Onset Androgenetic Alopecia with Metabolic Syndrome: A Case-Control Study on 46 Patients in a Tertiary Care Hospital in South India

Background: Androgenetic alopecia (AGA) has a significant psychosocial impact on the patient, especially early-onset AGA patients. The severity and prevalence increase with age in all races worldwide. "Metabolic syndrome" (MetS) is a combination of risk factors of cardiovascular and diabetes-related parameters. Aim of the Study: The aim of the study is to study the association of early-onset AGA with MetS. Materials and Methods: A case-control study was done in a tertiary care hospital, Bengaluru, from December 2015 to November 2016 with 46 cases and controls in the age group of 20-30 years. The Norwood-Hamilton classification was used to grade the AGA patients. Diagnosis of MetS was done based on the national cholesterol education program adult treatment Panel III. Independent t-test will be used as a test of significance. Categorical data were assessed using Chi-square test of significance. Value of P < 0.05 was considered to be statistically significant. Results: MetS was seen in 39.13% of cases and 4.35% of controls (P < 0.001) which was statistically significant. The mean systolic blood pressure (P = 0.017 and P < 0.05) was statistically significant when compared to healthy controls. However, no statistically significant values were seen in the mean values of other parameters. Conclusion: A higher prevalence of MetS was seen in early-onset AGA. Early screening for MetS is important in patients with early-onset AGA to minimize the complications in the future.