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Corresponding Author

Eman Elnigomy

Subject Area

Dermatology

Article Type

Original Study

Abstract

Introduction Androgenic alopecia (AGA) is the most common type of progressive hair loss in men, influenced by genetic and hormonal factors. Recent studies suggest that oxidative stress may play a role in its pathogenesis. Serum ischemia-modified albumin (IMA), a biomarker of oxidative stress, could provide insights into disease activity and severity in AGA patients. Aim The purpose of this study was to evaluate serum level of ischemia-modified albumin in male patient with androgenetic alopecia in comparison with healthy control. Patients and Methods This case-control study included 45 male patients with androgenetic alopecia and 45 age- and sex-matched healthy controls, recruited from the Dermatology outpatient clinic, Mansoura University Hospitals. All participants underwent history taking, systemic and dermatological examinations (including Hamilton–Norwood classification and dermoscopy), and BMI assessment. Serum ischemia-modified albumin (IMA) levels were measured using ELISA after appropriate sample collection and processing. Results The median serum IMA was 30.0 (9.69–580.19) in patients versus 32.4 (9.42–129.18) in controls (p=0.548), with poor diagnostic performance (AUC=0.537, sensitivity 55.6%, specificity 55.6%). Significantly higher IMA levels were detected in grade 7 alopecia (median 518.1, p=0.002) and in certain dermoscopic patterns such as peripilar sign with vellus hair (median 223.0, p=0.04). Conclusion Serum IMA lacks diagnostic value in AGA but correlates with advanced clinical severity, indicating a role in disease progression.

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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