Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40852715›Full record

SynthesisFrontiers in immunology2025

Association between alopecia areata and cardiovascular disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Jiawei Lu, Xuechen Cao, Yifei Feng, Yongkai Yu, Yan Lu

Abstract readSystematic ReviewMeta-Analysis
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Frontiers in immunology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Jiawei LuDepartment of Dermatology, The First Affiliated Hospital with Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
Xuechen CaoDepartment of Dermatology, The First Affiliated Hospital with Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
Yifei FengDepartment of Dermatology, The First Affiliated Hospital with Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
Yongkai YuDepartment of Dermatology, The First Affiliated Hospital with Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
Yan LuDepartment of Dermatology, The First Affiliated Hospital with Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: Alopecia areata (AA) is a common autoimmune disorder causing patchy hair loss. Epidemiological observations and molecular studies collectively suggest an underrecognized interplay between AA and cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, the relationship between them remains controversial and requires further investigation. Objective: To evaluate the association between AA and CVD through a meta-analysis of combinable results. Methods: We systematically searched four databases (MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library) for relevant studies from inception to December 6, 2024. Studies included in the analysis were cohort or case-control studies that focused on the relationship between AA and CVD. Two independent reviewers extracted the data. The study quality was evaluated using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. A random-effects model was used for meta-analysis to calculate the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results: Our search yielded five studies involving 238,270 AA patients from three countries. The meta-analysis revealed that AA patients had an increased OR (OR = 1.71; 95% CI: 1.0 to 2.92; Conclusions: This meta-analysis suggests that AA patients, especially those with alopecia totalis or alopecia universalis, may have an elevated risk of developing CVD. Given the shared immunological mechanisms, systemic inflammation in AA may contribute to the development of atherosclerosis and increased cardiovascular risk. Further studies are needed to validate these findings and clarify the underlying mechanisms.

Indexed as

Alopecia AreataCardiovascular DiseasesHumansRisk Factorsalopecia areatacardiovascular disease riskcytokineinflammationsystematic review

Identifiers

PMID40852715
PMCPMC12367736

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.