A study confirms the correlation between premature alopecia and prostate conditions

Spanish scientists have confirmed that there is a clear relationship between androgenetic alopecia (common premature baldness) and benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH), a benign enlargement of the prostate that appears in aging men and is associated with certain hormones as dihydrotestosterone. This condition appears in 50% of men over 60 year old and causes voiding syndrome i.e. urinary frequency.

In the light of the study published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, men with premature alopecia are at a higher risk for BPH than the rest of men. This article was awarded the 1st prize at the 68 Annual Conference of the American Academy of Dermatology celebrated in Miami.

Androgenetic alopecia is the most common form of baldness, and is more frequent in men tan in women. It has a hereditary component and gradually evolves when no treatment is provided. Benign prostate hyperplasia is also the most common prostate condition and causes an abnormal and irregular enlargement of the glands adjoining the urethra. This causes the growth of a benign tumor that blocks urine output.

This study included a total of 87 men, of which 45 were diagnosed with androgenetic alopecia by a dermatologist, while the other 42 were healthy men who acted as controls. Measurements were taken of prostate volume by transrectal ultrasound and urinary flow by urinary flowmetry. Hormone levels and International Index of Erectile Function were also assessed.

The results of this study proved that there was a clear and direct association between premature alopecia and benign prostate hyperplasia.

This study was conducted by researchers at the University of Granada, the university hospital San Cecilia of Granada, Spain and St, Thomas´ Hospital in London Salvador Arias Santiago, Miguel Ángel Arrabal Polo, Agustín Buendía Eisman, Miguel Arrabal Martín, María Teresa Gutiérrez Salmerón, María Sierra Girón Prieto, Antonio Jiménez Pacheco, Jaime Eduardo Calonje, Ramón Naranjo Sintes, Zuluaga Gómez and Salvio Serrano Ortega

References:

Arias-Santiago S, Arrabal-Polo MA, Buendía-Eisman A, Arrabal-Martín M, Gutiérrez-Salmerón MT, Girón-Prieto MS, Jiménez-Pacheco A, Calonje JE, Naranjo-Sintes R, Zuluaga-Gomez A, Serrano Ortega S. Androgenetic alopecia as an early marker of benign prostatic hyperplasia. "J Am Acad Dermatol". 2012 Mar;66(3):401-8.

Contact:

Agustín Buendía Eisman. Department of Medicine, University of Granada. Phone umber: +34 958 24 90 12. E-mail address: abuendia@ugr.es

Salvador Arias Santiago. MD Dermatologist. Researchers associated with the University of Granada. Phone Number: +34 958 02 30 00. E-mail address: salvadorararias@hotmail.es