The Association of Serum Adipokines, Insulin Resistance and Vitamin D Status in Male Patients with Androgenetic Alopecia

Clin Cosmet Investig Dermatol. 2023 Feb 13;16:419-427. doi: 10.2147/CCID.S396697. eCollection 2023.
The Association of Serum Adipokines, Insulin Resistance and Vitamin D Status in Male Patients with Androgenetic Alopecia
YiFan Wu # 1, Yun Hui # 2, Fang Liu 2, Huan Chen 2, KeHan Liu 1, QiYing Chen 2, YiFan He 1, Nan Hong 2, WenLiang Yan 2, QingTao Kong 2, Hong Sang 1 2

Background: The frequent coexistence of obesity and metabolic syndrome in patients with Androgenetic alopecia (AGA), may indicate a common pathogenetic pathway with adipokines being a possible implicating cytokine.

Objective: This study was conducted to investigate the changes in serum levels of adipokines, insulin resistance, vitamin D status and their relationship with AGA, and the relationship between serum levels of adipokines and insulin resistance.

Methods: 80 male patients with AGA were selected as the experimental group and 60 healthy males served as the control group. Both the AGA group and healthy control group were divided into 2 groups according to the presence or absence of insulin resistance (IR): the IR group and the NIR group. Serum levels of leptin, adiponectin, resistin, visfatin, insulin and 25(OH)D were evaluated in all subjects.

Results: Compared with the control group, AGA patients showed higher serum levels of leptin and lower adiponectin/leptin (Adpn/Lep) ratio (P<0.05), and both were positively correlated with the severity of the disease. Compared with the AGA NIR group, serum leptin levels were increased in the AGA IR group (P<0.05). AGA IR group and AGA NIR group possessed lower Adpn/Lep ratio when compared with the healthy IR group and healthy NIR group respectively (P<0.05). The multi-factor logistic regression analysis results showed decreased Adpn/Lep level and increased leptin level as risk factors for AGA. AGA Patients had lower vitamin D levels than healthy controls (P<0.05).

Conclusion: Patients with AGA show an imbalance between pro- and anti-inflammatory adipokines, and probably be involved in AGA pathogenesis. Insulin resistance may influence levels of adipokines, but the present findings cannot indicate insulin resistance plays a role in the onset of AGA. The insufficiency and deficiency of vitamin D are common health concern in our subjects and may be involved in the dysfunction of adipocytes and the development of AGA.

Keywords: adipokines; androgenetic alopecia; leptin; vitamin D.

Full:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9936883/