Chronic telogen effluvium: a clinical, laboratorial, histological and immunohistochemical analysis

• Grant number: 10/19678-9
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: March 01, 2012
• End date: February 28, 2013
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine - Pathological Anatomy and Clinical Pathology
• Principal Investigator: Maria Letícia Cintra
• Grantee: Daniela Andrade Ferraro
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Médicas (FCM). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Patients with alopecia have psychological problems caused or intensified by the loss of hair. Chronic telogen effluvium (CTE) was recently described and is yet poorly characterized and understudied. It can be misdiagnosed as diffuse alopecia areata (incognita) or as initial female androgenetic alopecia (AGA), which can also present a diffuse telogen loss. Thus, there are errors in diagnosis and therefore in the therapeutic results as well. The pathogenesis of the CTE is still unknown and the triggering stimuli might depend on a constellation of factors. As many other diseases which have unknown causes, the ETC has no effective treatment. Studies show that the drugs used in acute telogen effluvium control do not work for the CTE, probably because they depend on different pathogenic mechanisms. It is therefore relevant to investigate these mechanisms in CTE, to seek appropriate treatment. This is a prospective study aimed at studying CTE with a view to its characterization and pathogenic mechanism. Patients with chronic hair loss for more than 6 months and controls will be studied. After clinical and dermatological examination, photos of standardized topographical locations of the scalp will be obtained and protocol information will be collected, including the questionnaire of anxiety and a biopsy in the vertex region for histological and immunohistochemical analyses. Laboratorial exams for investigation of possible liver, renal, endocrine or nutritional abnormalities, autoimmune diseases, as well as serology for syphilis will also be required.(AU)