Eman H El-Morsy1, Amira A Eid1, Hossam Ghoneim2, Khaleel A Al-Tameemi1. 1. Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Andrology, Faculty of Medicine, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt. 2. Department of Immunology, Medical Research Institute, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: There is strong evidence for an autoimmune etiology of alopecia areata (AA). Interleukin-17A (IL-17A) is a Th17 proinflammatory cytokine that has been linked to the pathogeneses of diverse autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to measure serum IL-17A in AA patients and to study associations between IL-17A levels and AA severity, duration, and age of onset, and patient gender and age. METHODS: The study enrolled 39 AA patients and 37 healthy control subjects. Scalp involvement was assessed using the Severity of Alopecia Tool (SALT), and clinical disease severity was determined. Serum IL-17A was measured using ELISAs. RESULTS: Serum IL-17A was significantly higher in AA patients than in control subjects (P < 0.001). Correlations between serum IL-17A and gender, disease duration, SALT score, and disease severity were non-significant. Serum IL-17A was significantly higher in patients aged ≤30 years than in patients aged >30 years (P = 0.045). Age and serum IL-17A were significantly negatively correlated in patients with AA (rs = -0.363, P = 0.023) but not in control subjects (rs = -0.294, P = 0.077). Patients with juvenile-onset AA had significantly higher IL-17A levels than those with maturity-onset disease (P = 0.034). There was a significant negative correlation between age at disease onset and serum IL-17A (rs = -0.349, P = 0.029). CONCLUSIONS: It is possible that IL-17A plays a role in the pathogenesis of AA. Serum IL-17A may be influenced by patient age and age of onset of AA but does not seem to influence disease severity.
BACKGROUND: There is strong evidence for an autoimmune etiology of alopecia areata (AA). Interleukin-17A (IL-17A) is a Th17 proinflammatory cytokine that has been linked to the pathogeneses of diverse autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to measure serum IL-17A in AA patients and to study associations between IL-17A levels and AA severity, duration, and age of onset, and patient gender and age. METHODS: The study enrolled 39 AA patients and 37 healthy control subjects. Scalp involvement was assessed using the Severity of Alopecia Tool (SALT), and clinical disease severity was determined. Serum IL-17A was measured using ELISAs. RESULTS: Serum IL-17A was significantly higher in AA patients than in control subjects (P < 0.001). Correlations between serum IL-17A and gender, disease duration, SALT score, and disease severity were non-significant. Serum IL-17A was significantly higher in patients aged ≤30 years than in patients aged >30 years (P = 0.045). Age and serum IL-17A were significantly negatively correlated in patients with AA (rs = -0.363, P = 0.023) but not in control subjects (rs = -0.294, P = 0.077). Patients with juvenile-onset AA had significantly higher IL-17A levels than those with maturity-onset disease (P = 0.034). There was a significant negative correlation between age at disease onset and serum IL-17A (rs = -0.349, P = 0.029). CONCLUSIONS: It is possible that IL-17A plays a role in the pathogenesis of AA. Serum IL-17A may be influenced by patient age and age of onset of AA but does not seem to influence disease severity.
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