Antinuclear Antibody Positivity in Patients With Hair Loss After COVID-19 Infection

Abstract

Introduction: Hair loss is one of the most common disorders after coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between COVID-19-related hair loss and antinuclear antibody (ANA) positivity and patterns. Methods: ANA positivity and patterns were analyzed in 30 female COVID-19 patients with hair loss complaints and compared in terms of the presence of autoimmunity between patients with and without COVID-19 exhibiting hair loss. Results: ANA positivity and cytoplasmic patterns were detected in 40% of the patients with COVID-19 infection and hair loss. Trichodynia and diffuse hair loss were observed in 63.3% and 53.3%, respectively. Conclusions: In patients with COVID-19-related hair loss, diffuse hair loss and ANA positivity may be related to the high antibody levels triggered by COVID-19 infection.

Sarcoidosis-related autoimmune inflammation in COVID-19 convalescent patients

“…Similar data have been obtained by several independent groups describing elevated antinuclear antibody (ANA) and antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA) titers after acute COVID-19 ( 112 , 114 , 115 ). Moreover, ANAs may be closely related to hair loss as a part of the long COVID-19 syndrome ( 116 ). On the other hand, detected rheumatoid factor may be another example of emerging autoantibodies after COVID-19, whose increase during acute disease was closely associated with its severe and critical course ( 117 ).…”