Epidemiology of alopecia areata and population-wide comorbidities in Germany
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Epidemiology of alopecia areata and population-wide comorbidities in Germany. / Augustin, Matthias; Ben-Anaya, Nesrine; Müller, Katharina; Hagenström, Kristina.
In: BRIT J DERMATOL, Vol. 190, No. 3, 16.02.2024, p. 374-381.Research output: SCORING: Contribution to journal › SCORING: Journal article › Research › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Epidemiology of alopecia areata and population-wide comorbidities in Germany
AU - Augustin, Matthias
AU - Ben-Anaya, Nesrine
AU - Müller, Katharina
AU - Hagenström, Kristina
N1 - © The Author(s) 2023. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of British Association of Dermatologists. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.
PY - 2024/2/16
Y1 - 2024/2/16
N2 - BACKGROUND: Alopecia areata (AA) is a chronic, immune-mediated disease characterized by acute-onset hair loss. The hair loss can range from small, circumscribed hairless areas on the scalp to complete loss of hair on the head and body hair. However, data on the epidemiology of AA are limited. Current evaluations are lacking in Germany. The aim of this study was to evaluate the epidemiology and comorbidity of AA in Germany based on claims data.METHODS: A representative 40% sample of all adults who were insured with a German statutory health insurance company (DAK-Gesundheit) between 2016 and 2020 was evaluated (n = 2.88 million). Based on at least one relevant outpatient or inpatient diagnosis of International Classification of Diseases (ICD)-10 L63, the annual AA prevalence and incidence (ICD-10 L63) were calculated for 2016 to 2020. Different case definitions were used for diagnosis validation. In addition, the occurrence of comorbidities in patients with AA was investigated.RESULTS: In 2020, AA prevalence was 210 cases per 100 000 and incidence 72 cases per 100 000. Compared with persons without AA, those with AA significantly more often had atopic dermatitis [rate ratio (RR) 2.9], pruritus (RR 2.7), lupus erythematosus (RR 2.4), urticaria (RR 2.3) and psoriasis (RR 2.2). Women were affected slightly more often than men (0.2% vs. 0.1%). On a regional level, higher prevalence and incidence rates were found in Brandenburg (prevalence 332 cases per 100 000; incidence 116 cases per 100 000), Hesse (prevalence 344 cases per 100 000; incidence 124 cases per 100 000) and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania (prevalence 303 cases per 100 000; incidence 111 per 100 000).CONCLUSIONS: AA is a common immune-mediated skin condition with marked regional variations in Germany. For a complete understanding of epidemiology, complementary population-based studies including clinical characteristics of AA are useful.
AB - BACKGROUND: Alopecia areata (AA) is a chronic, immune-mediated disease characterized by acute-onset hair loss. The hair loss can range from small, circumscribed hairless areas on the scalp to complete loss of hair on the head and body hair. However, data on the epidemiology of AA are limited. Current evaluations are lacking in Germany. The aim of this study was to evaluate the epidemiology and comorbidity of AA in Germany based on claims data.METHODS: A representative 40% sample of all adults who were insured with a German statutory health insurance company (DAK-Gesundheit) between 2016 and 2020 was evaluated (n = 2.88 million). Based on at least one relevant outpatient or inpatient diagnosis of International Classification of Diseases (ICD)-10 L63, the annual AA prevalence and incidence (ICD-10 L63) were calculated for 2016 to 2020. Different case definitions were used for diagnosis validation. In addition, the occurrence of comorbidities in patients with AA was investigated.RESULTS: In 2020, AA prevalence was 210 cases per 100 000 and incidence 72 cases per 100 000. Compared with persons without AA, those with AA significantly more often had atopic dermatitis [rate ratio (RR) 2.9], pruritus (RR 2.7), lupus erythematosus (RR 2.4), urticaria (RR 2.3) and psoriasis (RR 2.2). Women were affected slightly more often than men (0.2% vs. 0.1%). On a regional level, higher prevalence and incidence rates were found in Brandenburg (prevalence 332 cases per 100 000; incidence 116 cases per 100 000), Hesse (prevalence 344 cases per 100 000; incidence 124 cases per 100 000) and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania (prevalence 303 cases per 100 000; incidence 111 per 100 000).CONCLUSIONS: AA is a common immune-mediated skin condition with marked regional variations in Germany. For a complete understanding of epidemiology, complementary population-based studies including clinical characteristics of AA are useful.
KW - Adult
KW - Alopecia Areata/epidemiology
KW - Comorbidity
KW - Female
KW - Hair
KW - Humans
KW - Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic/epidemiology
KW - Male
U2 - 10.1093/bjd/ljad381
DO - 10.1093/bjd/ljad381
M3 - SCORING: Journal article
C2 - 37852247
VL - 190
SP - 374
EP - 381
JO - BRIT J DERMATOL
JF - BRIT J DERMATOL
SN - 0007-0963
IS - 3
ER -