Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42840669›Full record

SynthesisFrontiers in endocrinology2026

Prevalence of metabolic syndrome in patients with androgenetic alopecia: an analysis of current evidence.

Wan Xu, Wen-Qing Zhang, Xin Liang, Qian Fan, Hai-Dong Yu, Xin Li

Abstract readMeta-AnalysisSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Frontiers in endocrinology, 2026. 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

6 authors.

Wan Xu *Chinese Medicine Department, Songnan Town Community Health Service Center, Shanghai, China.
Wen-Qing Zhang *Department of Dermatology, Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China.
Xin LiangChinese Medicine Department, Songnan Town Community Health Service Center, Shanghai, China.
Qian FanChinese Medicine Department, Songnan Town Community Health Service Center, Shanghai, China.
Hai-Dong YuChinese Medicine Department, Songnan Town Community Health Service Center, Shanghai, China.
Xin LiChinese Medicine Department, Songnan Town Community Health Service Center, Shanghai, China.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: Androgenetic alopecia (AGA) is the most common non-scarring alopecia, and its prevalence increases with age. Previous meta-analyses of AGA and metabolic syndrome (MetS) have focused mainly on associations and risk estimates. We quantified the prevalence of MetS and its components among patients with AGA. Methods: PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, the Cochrane Library, CNKI, VIP, and WanFang Data were searched from inception to July 2026 for cross-sectional and cohort studies. Prevalence estimates were pooled using logit-transformed random-effects models with restricted maximum likelihood estimation. We report 95% confidence intervals (CIs), I², τ², and 95% prediction intervals (PIs) when estimable. Examined subgroups included region, sex, AGA severity, MetS definition, and study quality. Sensitivity analyses assessed robustness. Egger's test was performed to assess outcomes derived from ≥10 studies. Results: Twenty-eight studies were included. MetS prevalence was 23.7% (12 studies; 3,623 participants; 95% CI, 15.5%-34.5%; I² = 95.4%; 95% PI, 3.7%-71.7%). Prevalence estimates for abdominal obesity, hypertension or elevated blood pressure, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, hypertriglyceridemia, elevated low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol were 36.0%, 30.7%, 13.3%, 24.5%, 23.6%, 30.0%, and 28.8%, respectively. Heterogeneity was substantial across outcomes; the elevated low-density lipoprotein cholesterol estimate was based on only two studies. MetS prevalence was 19.7%, 30.8%, and 44.2% in mild, moderate, and severe AGA, respectively, although grading systems varied. In leave-one-out analyses, the pooled MetS estimate ranged from 21.1% to 25.9%; other outcomes with at least seven studies were also broadly unchanged; however, heterogeneity persisted. Evidence from female patients was limited (4 studies, 765 participants). Conclusion: MetS and several metabolic abnormalities are common among patients with AGA, although estimates vary substantially across studies. Early assessment may support comprehensive health management in this population.

Indexed as

AlopeciaMetabolic SyndromeFemaleHumansMalePrevalenceRisk Factorsandrogenic alopeciameta-analysismetabolic syndromeprevalence ratesystematic review

Identifiers

PMID42840669
PMCPMC13639579

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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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.