Androgenetic Alopecia: Traditional Cardiovascular Risk Factors, Metabolic Syndrome, and Component Traits among Nigerian Adults

Abstract

Background: Androgenetic alopecia (AGA) has been linked to cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) and metabolic syndrome (MetS). Works on  AGA, cardiovascular risk factors (CVRFs) and MetS are rare among Nigerians.

Aim: This study set out to determine the relationship among  CVRFs, MetS, and AGA.

Subjects and Methods: This is a cross-sectional study done among adults who were 18 years and above  in selected communities in Ogbomoso on 260 consenting AGA participants as well as 260 age controls without AGA. They were matched  for age and sex using a multistage sampling method. Anthropometric measurements, fasting blood glucose, and lipid profile samples  were collected. MetS was diagnosed using International Diabetes Federation criteria. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS version 20.  Ethical approval was gotten before commencement of the study (LTH/OGB/EC/2017/162).

Result: Metabolic syndrome in AGA was higher  than in controls (8.08% vs. 7.69%, p = 0.742). AGA was significantly associated with elevated mean systolic blood pressure (SBP) (p  = 0.008), low High Density Lipoprotein (HDL-c) (p < 0.001), alcohol intake (p < 0.001), dyslipidaemia (p = 0.002), and sedentary lifestyle (p =  0.010). The correlates of AGA severity in male and female gender are age (p < 0.001 and 0.009 respectively), SBP (p = 0.024) and  abdominal obesity (p = 0.027) in male gender.

Conclusion: AGA in Nigerians is associated with dyslipidaemia, alcohol intake, and  sedentary lifestyle. AGA severity is related to age, higher mean SBP, abdominal obesity and low HDL-c in male and age, and Body mass  index in females. Nigerians with AGA should be screened for dyslipidaemia and counseled against the use of alcohol and sedentary  lifestyle.