Ammoury Alfred, Hegazy Rehab, Al Talhab Saad, Ameen Ahmed, Hassan Nehal, Ghoubar Marcelle
Saint George Hospital University Medical Center, Beirut, Lebanon.
Cairo University Hospital, Cairo, Egypt.
Dermatol Ther (Heidelb). 2023 Aug;13(8):1801-1815. doi: 10.1007/s13555-023-00963-7. Epub 2023 Jun 24.
Alopecia areata (AA) is an autoimmune disease characterized by nonscarring hair loss involving the scalp, face, and/or body. Literature on the prevalence, patient characteristics, management approaches, and challenges faced by patients with AA across the Middle East is limited. Therefore, a greater understanding of the current AA landscape within the region is needed. This cross-sectional study surveyed dermatologists from four countries to assess dermatologists' perspectives on the prevalence of AA within the Middle East, as well as patient characteristics, unmet needs, and management strategies.
This blinded, quantitative, observational study surveyed practicing dermatologists in Egypt, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. The survey was conducted between September 2021 and January 2022 and comprised 47 closed-ended, multiple-choice questions as well as Likert scale responses. These questions assessed the characteristics of physicians and the patients in their practices, physicians' familiarity with treatment, and physicians' treatment approaches.
The estimated prevalence of AA varied across the region. Across all age groups treated for AA, the majority of patients had AA of mild severity (pediatric: 63%; adolescent: 60%; adult: 54%) and the scalp was reported as the most affected area (65%). Potent topical corticosteroids were the most frequently used treatment for mild to moderate and severe AA (92% and 78%, respectively). There was a lack of awareness of investigative treatments, with only 33% of dermatologists aware of these options. The greatest unmet needs in treating AA included long-term disease control, improved efficacy, faster onset of action, and better safety profiles (62%, 53%, 52%, and 51%, respectively).
This study provided insight into the diagnosis and management of AA in the Middle East. Treatment strategies were similar regardless of the severity of AA. Long-term disease control and improved efficacy and safety profiles were identified as key unmet needs in the treatment of AA.
斑秃（AA）是一种自身免疫性疾病，其特征为非瘢痕性脱发，累及头皮、面部和/或身体。关于中东地区斑秃患者的患病率、患者特征、管理方法及面临的挑战的文献有限。因此，需要更深入了解该地区目前的斑秃情况。这项横断面研究对来自四个国家的皮肤科医生进行了调查，以评估皮肤科医生对中东地区斑秃患病率的看法，以及患者特征、未满足的需求和管理策略。
这项盲法、定量、观察性研究对埃及、黎巴嫩、沙特阿拉伯和阿拉伯联合酋长国的执业皮肤科医生进行了调查。调查于2021年9月至2022年1月进行，包括47个封闭式多项选择题以及李克特量表回答。这些问题评估了医生及其所诊治患者的特征、医生对治疗的熟悉程度以及医生的治疗方法。
该地区斑秃的估计患病率各不相同。在所有接受斑秃治疗的年龄组中，大多数患者的斑秃病情为轻度（儿童：63%；青少年：60%；成人：54%），据报告头皮是受影响最严重的部位（65%）。强效外用糖皮质激素是治疗轻度至中度和重度斑秃最常用的方法（分别为92%和78%）。对研究性治疗方法缺乏认识，只有33%的皮肤科医生了解这些选择。治疗斑秃最大的未满足需求包括长期疾病控制、提高疗效、更快起效以及更好的安全性（分别为62%、53%、52%和51%）。
本研究为中东地区斑秃的诊断和管理提供了见解。无论斑秃的严重程度如何，治疗策略相似。长期疾病控制以及提高疗效和安全性被确定为斑秃治疗中关键的未满足需求。
