Non-Scarring Alopecia in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Patients at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital: A Cross-Sectional Study of Prevalence, Pattern, Trichoscopy Features and Histopathological Analysis

January 2024 in “ Pan African Medical Journal ”

Anaba Ehiaghe Lonia, Olaosebikan B. Hakeem, Cole-Adeife Olufolakemi, Olayemi Olubunmi Dawodu, Olufemi Adelowo

non-scarring alopecia systemic lupus erythematosus trichoscopy histopathological analysis decreased hair density broken hairs peribulbar lymphocytic infiltrates SLE hair loss

TLDR Non-scarring hair loss is common in lupus patients and can be diagnosed with specific hair and tissue tests.

The study at Lagos State University Teaching Hospital examined non-scarring alopecia in 75 systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients, finding a 48% prevalence of non-scarring alopecia, with patchy hair loss being the most common pattern. Trichoscopy revealed hair shaft thinning, hypopigmentation, and scalp pigmentary changes, while histopathology showed reduced sebaceous glands and inflammatory changes even in normal-appearing scalp areas. The study concluded that non-scarring alopecia is prevalent in SLE patients and that trichoscopic and histopathologic differences exist between those with and without hair loss, indicating scalp involvement in the inflammatory process of SLE.

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Scalp biopsies from dermatomyositis patients show chronic hair loss without scarring, with mucin and blood vessel changes being very common.

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research Severe Diffuse Non-Scarring Hair Loss in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: Clinical and Histopathological Analysis of Four Cases

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research Clinical Evaluation of Alopecias Using a Handheld Dermatoscope

66 citations , November 2011 in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology”

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research Pinpoint White Dots in the Scalp: Dermoscopic and Histopathologic Correlation

60 citations , September 2010 in “Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology”

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Cross-Sectional Study of Hair Loss Patterns in 122 Korean Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Patients: A Frequent Finding of Non-Scarring Patch Alopecia

research Cross-Sectional Study of Hair Loss Patterns in 122 Korean Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Patients: A Frequent Finding of Non-Scarring Patch Alopecia

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Most Korean systemic lupus erythematosus patients experienced hair loss, often as non-scarring diffuse hair loss, with non-scarring patch alopecia also common.