Alopecia areata (AA) is a common cause of noncicatricial alopecia that occurs as a patchy, confluent or diffuse pattern. It may occur as a single, self-limiting episode or may recur at varying intervals over many years. Strong direct and indirect evidence supports an autoimmune etiology for alopecia areata. The origin of disease process is not fully understood; however, there are indications for a T-cell-mediated autoimmune process directed against an unknown autoantigen of the hair follicle. T lymphocytes that have been shown to be oligoclonal and autoreactive are predominantly present in the peribulbous inflammatory infiltrate. Alopecia areata frequently occurs in association with other autoimmune disorders such as vitiligo, lichen planus, morphea, lichen sclerosus et atrophicus, pemphigus foliaceus, atopic dermatitis, Hashimoto's thyroiditis, hypothyroidism, endemic goiter, Addison's disease, pernicious anemia, lupus erythematosus, diabetes mellitus, Down's syndrome and others. In view of the autoimmune etiology of AA, a prospective clinical study was carried out to determine the association between alopecia areata and other autoimmune disorders.
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