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Androgenetic alopecia (AGA) affects the quality of life (QoL) and has a negative psychological impact on patients. We sought to investigate the frequency of anxiety and depression in AGA patients and explore their relationship with patients’ QoL. This cross-sectional survey enrolled 192 participants with AGA. Hairdex, World Health Organization Quality of life Brief Version (WHOQOL-BREF), and dermatology life quality index (DLQI) instruments were used to assess the QoL of patients, and hospital anxiety and depression scale (HADS) was used to evaluate patients’ anxiety symptom and depression symptom. HADS, WHOQOL-BREF, and DLQI scores and domains of the Hairdex score were analyzed using linear regression and Pearson correlation. Apart from self-confidence, all four domains of Hairdex were significantly correlated with depression scores and anxiety scores. All four domains of WHOQOL-BREF were significantly correlated with depression and anxiety scores. While all six domains of DLQI were also significantly correlated with anxiety scores only. This study demonstrates a significant correlation between psychiatric morbidity and QoL in individuals with AGA. Hence, psychiatric treatment evaluations should be considered.

SathishKumar Moorthy,1,&ast; Linli Yu,1,&ast; Lin Peng,1 Liangliang Shen,1 Yu Han,1 Zikai Zhang,2 Yanqiao Li,3 Xin Huang1 1Department of Dermatology, Tongji Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200065, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Science, Tongji Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200065, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Dermatology, Institute of Dermatology and Venereology, Sichuan Academy of Medical Sciences & Sichuan Provincial People’s Hospital, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610072, People’s Republic of China&ast;These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Xin Huang, Department of Dermatology, Tongji Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200065, People’s Republic of China, Email alida_huang@163.comBackground: Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of androgenetic alopecia patients has become increasingly important, but the influencing factors associated with the different domains are poorly understood.Objective: This study aimed to investigate the influencing factors in HRQoL of androgenetic alopecia patients and identify its strongly associated domains.Patients and Methods: We enrolled 170 androgenetic alopecia patients. HRQoL was measured using the World Health Organization Quality of Life Brief Version (WHO-BREF), and Hairdex.Results: HRQoL was significantly impaired in patients < 30 years, (WHO-BREF: P=0.022, Hairdex: P=0.004), less educated (WHO-BREF: P=0.021, Hairdex: P=0.003), single patients (Hairdex: P=0.023), and urban residence (Hairdex: P=0.043). By domains, those < 30 years were impaired by physical health (P=0.038) and psychological (P=0.030) by WHO-BREF, and symptoms (P=0.002) and emotions (P=0.002) by Hairdex. Singles were impaired by symptoms (P=0.020), and emotions (P=0.009) by Hairdex. Less-educated individuals had impaired all domains in the WHO-BREF and Hairdex, except for physical health. Women had impaired symptoms (P=0.013) and stigmatization (P=0.041) in Hairdex.Conclusion: Androgenetic alopecia is associated with significantly reduced HRQoL in young, less educated, and single patients. Dermatologists should inquire about Quality of Life and appropriately support androgenetic alopecia patients.Keywords: quality of life, androgenetic alopecia, WHO-BREF, Hairdex