Several patients with alopecia areata (AA) are detected with one or more of—seasonal relapse, comorbid atopic rhinitis, asthma and dermatitis, lesional infiltrating eosinophils and plasma cells, high levels of total IgE, specific IgE for house dust mites (HDM) and/or disrupted skin barrier function by the evaluation of filaggrin. A new article published in Experimental Dermatology focused on allergy as a facilitating factor in the pathogenesis of AA. The authors discussed that allergy and AA share a similar genetic backgroundand both contribute to an immune reaction imbalance. Adjunctive treatment with antihistamines or desensitization for HDM can reduce the severity of alopecia in atopic AA patients. While allergies may contribute to the onset and relapse of AA. Thus, identification of an allergic or atopic immune component in AA patient subsets may indicate adjunctive treatment of AA. It was suggested that intervention measures against allergies should be taken in order to improve the success of conventional AA treatment.
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