Detailed Information

Cited 8 time in webofscience Cited 15 time in scopus
Metadata Downloads

Lack of Evidence of COVID-19 Being a Risk Factor of Alopecia Areata: Results of a National Cohort Study in South Korea

Authors
Kim, JeehyunHong, KwanGomez Gomez, Raquel ElizabethKim, SoojinChun, Byung Chul
Issue Date
Oct-2021
Publisher
Frontiers Media S.A.
Keywords
COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; complications; alopecia areata; cohort study
Citation
Frontiers in Medicine, v.8
Indexed
SCIE
SCOPUS
Journal Title
Frontiers in Medicine
Volume
8
URI
https://scholarworks.korea.ac.kr/kumedicine/handle/2020.sw.kumedicine/54754
DOI
10.3389/fmed.2021.758069
ISSN
2296-858X
2296-858X
Abstract
Background: Concerns about alopecia areata (AA) in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients have emerged among dermatologists. However, most of the extant kinds of literature have limited implications by relying on cross-sectional studies with restricted study subjects without the control group. Objective: Our study aims to investigate the risk of developing AA among COVID-19 patients in South Korea using national representative data. Methods: We used the National Health Insurance Service COVID-19 cohort database, comprising COVID-19 patients and the control group, all of whom were diagnosed from January 1, 2020, to June 4, 2020. Patients were defined as individuals who were confirmed as COVID-19 positive, regardless of disease severity. Controls were defined as those who were confirmed as COVID-19 negatives. People with a history of AA during the period 2015-2019 were excluded. The primary endpoint was a new diagnosis of AA (ICD-10-Code: L63). The adjusted incidence rate ratio (IRR) of developing AA was estimated using a log-link Poisson regression model based on incidence density. The model adjusted for (1) age and sex and (2) demographic variables (age, sex, place of residence, and income level). Results: A total of 226,737 individuals (7,958 [3.5%] cases and 218,779 [96.5%] controls) were included in the final analysis. The ratio of newly diagnosed AA was 18/7,958 (0.2%) in cases and 195/218,779 (0.1%) in controls. IRRs of COVID-19 patients having newly diagnosed AA compared to controls were 0.78 (95% CI: 0.48-1.27) when age and sex were adjusted for and 0.60 (95% CI: 0.35-1.03) when all demographic variables were adjusted for. Conclusion: Diagnosis of COVID-19 was not significantly associated with the development of AA even after appropriately adjusting for covariates.
Files in This Item
There are no files associated with this item.
Appears in
Collections
1. Basic Science > Department of Preventive Medicine > 1. Journal Articles

qrcode

Items in ScholarWorks are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated.

Related Researcher

Researcher Chun, Byung Chul photo

Chun, Byung Chul
College of Medicine (Department of Preventive Medicine)
Read more

Altmetrics

Total Views & Downloads

BROWSE