Increased history of childhood and lifetime traumatic events among adults with alopecia areata

Background

Whether adult alopecia areata (AA) is associated with childhood or total lifetime traumatic events is not known. Previous studies have investigated only the relationship with recent stressful events.

Objective

We sought to determine whether patients with AA experience more childhood or total lifetime traumatic events, as measured by the Traumatic Experiences Checklist.

Methods

Using a case-control study, data on 90 patients with AA and 91 control subjects were analyzed.

Results

Significantly more patients with AA experienced total lifetime and early childhood traumatic events, with an odds ratio of 2.46 (95% confidence interval 1.15-5.28; P = .017) and 2.16 (1.15-4.06; P = .016), respectively. In patients with AA, the global impact score related to their traumatic experiences was significantly higher than in control subjects (P < .001). In addition, patients with AA experienced significantly more emotionally and physically traumatic events.

Limitation

This case-control study is susceptible to recall bias and to confounding factors associated with stress caused by AA outbreaks or by a traumatic childhood history.

Conclusion

Our study documents an increased history of childhood trauma in patients with AA compared with control subjects.

Abbreviations used: AA, alopecia areata, OR, odds ratio, TEC, Traumatic Experiences Checklist