Introduction. Alopecia areata (AA) is a common autoimmune disorder of hair follicles characterized by patches on nonscarring\nhair loss. Reports of prevalence and clinical characteristic of AA in Saudi Arabia are limited. The aim of our study is to describe the\nprevalence and clinical characteristics of Saudi patients with AA. Materials and Methods. A retrospective cross-sectional study was\nconducted at King Abdulaziz Medical City in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. All patients diagnosed with AA between January 2016 and\nDecember 2017 were included. Data included patient demographics, type of AA, disease duration, family history of AA, and\ncomorbid autoimmune diseases. Results. A total of 216 patients with AA were included. The overall prevalence of AA was\napproximately 2.3%. The mean disease duration at the time of presentation was 2 months while the mean age of onset was 25.61\nyears. Themost common type of AA in both adult and pediatric groups was the patchy type involving the scalp. Comorbid diseases\nwere found in 32.41%of patients. Common associated conditions included hypothyroidism, diabetes mellitus, and atopic diseases.\nConclusion.The overall prevalence of AA among a population of Saudi patients is 2.3%. AA prevalence is higher in pediatrics than\nadults. Common comorbid conditions include hypothyroidism, diabetes mellitus, and atopic diseases.
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