Crohn’s disease and alopecia areata universalis; case report and review of the literature

Abstract

Alopecia areata (AA) is a non-scaring alopecia in which the
characteristic initial lesion is a circumscribed totally bald,
smooth patch. The term alopecia universalis is applied to
total or amost total loss of all body hair. A 48-year old man
presented with a two-month history of diarrhea and a twoweek
history of low-grade fever. Patient was diagnosed
twelve years ago with AA universalis treated with pulse use
of systemic steroids. Physical examination revealed
circumscribed totally bald, smooth patches in eyebrows,
eyelashes, upper and lower extremities. Diffuse hair loss
was apparent over the whole of the scalp without the
development of bald areas. Total colonoscopy with ileoscopy
showed Crohns disease, which was confirmed by multiple
bowel biopsies. The patient was administered prednizolone
systemically at a dose of 50 mg with satisfactory results.
Although rare cases of AA correlation with other dermatoses
and ulcerative colitis have already been reported, alopecia
areata has not been reported so far in co-existence
with Crohns disease.
Key words: alopecia areata, alopecia, Crohn, ulcerative colitis,
inflammatory bowel disease