Serum Ferritin Levels in Women with Telogen Effluvium: Do They Play a Role?

The study investigated the prevalence of iron deficiency in women with telogen effluvium compared to controls. It included 160 women with telogen effluvium and 425 controls, all aged 16-62 years. Results showed that the mean serum ferritin level was significantly lower in telogen effluvium patients (34.30 ng/ml) compared to controls (75.57 ng/ml), with a p-value of 0.01. Additionally, mean hemoglobin levels were slightly higher in telogen effluvium patients (11.56 g/dl) than in controls (11.26 g/dl), with a p-value of 0.000. The study concluded that iron deficiency was more common in women with telogen effluvium and recommended testing serum ferritin levels in women experiencing excessive hair loss for better management.