Vol. 7, Issue 1, Part B (2025)

Background: Alopecia areata (AA) is an autoimmune and inflammatory disease that usually affects the scalp, bearded area, eyebrows, eyelashes, and other hairy areas of the body. It is mostly diagnosed clinically based on clinical history, physical examination, and trichoscopy. In recent years, novel inflammatory markers derived from hematological tests have been introduced. 
Objective: To evaluate the relationship of neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio, platelet to lymphocyte ratio, mean platelet volume, ESR, and C-reactive protein with the severity of alopecia areata.
Methodology: A total of 50 patients with AA were included in group A and another 50 healthy individuals were included in group B according to inclusion & exclusion criteria after getting informed written consent. The severity of AA was evaluated by the SALT score. 
Result: The mean age of the AA patients was 26.96±6.09 years, wherein the maximum patients were aged between 21-30 years. AA patients had significantly higher mean platelet volume (10.75±1.55 vs 10.16±1.20 fL, p=0.036, <0.05) and CRP (5.12±3.61 vs 3.97±1.82 mg/dL, p=0.048, <0.05) than healthy individuals. The mean SALT score of AA patients was 41.22±27.60. The MPV and CRP had a significant moderate positive correlation with the severity of alopecia areata (p<0.05). NLR, PLR, and ESR had no such significant association with the severity of AA (p>0.05).
Conclusion: This study concluded that MPV and CRP is a simple and cost-effective investigation that can be used as a severity marker in alopecia areata. However, the meticulous clinical significance of MPV and CRP and their role in disease severity and prognosis, justify further study through inclusive future trials and revolutionary exploration.