Evaluation of Serum Irisin and Its Relation to Insulin Resistance in Patients with Androgenetic Alopecia

Abstract Background Androgenetic alopecia is a common cause of hair loss in both genders that may be associated with disturbed systemic metabolism. Irisin is a hormone- like myokine that greatly influences systemic metabolism and is linked to glucose and lipid metabolism. Thus, serum irisin can be valuable as marker of insulin resistance and hence metabolic syndrome. Aim of the Work to evaluate serum Irisin levels in androgenetic alopecia patients and to reveal the possible relation between its serum levels and the insulin resistance status in patients. Patients and Methods This study included 65 AGA patients and 64 healthy control subjects. All patients were subjected to full history taking, general and local examination, assessment of BMI and hair loss grade. Moreover, determination of serum fasting insulin, irisin level and criteria of metabolic syndrome were performed. Results Comparison between AGA patients and controls revealed statistically significant higher age, waist circumference, BMI among cases compared to controls. Current study results revealed that serum irisin level was significantly lower in AGA patients compared to controls. Moreover, serum irisin level ≤10.5 ng/mL had a 100% sensitivity and specificity to discriminate between AGA patients and controls. On the other hand, no significant correlation or difference were detected between serum irisin and either personal data, medical characteristics or laboratory findings. Moreover, no significant relation was detected between serum irisin and either of BMI, fasting insulin or HOMA-IR. Conclusion In the current study we assessed serum irisin level in AGA patients and tried to reveal the possible relation between its serum levels and the insulin resistance status in patients. Serum irisin level was significantly lower in cases compared to controls. Therefore, serum irisin can be of value in understanding the pathogenic mechanisms underlying AGA. Serum irisin level ≤10.5 ng/mL had a 100% sensitivity and specificity to discriminate between cases and controls. However, there was no significant relation between serum irisin and markers of insulin resistance as BMI, fasting insulin or HOMA-IR.