@Article{, title={Treatment of low serum ferritin in females with alopecia by oral iron.}, author={Wisam Ali Ameen and Hassanain H. Al-Charrakh}, journal={Iraq Joural of Hematology المجلة العراقية لامراض الدم}, volume={4}, number={1}, pages={126-136}, year={2015}, abstract={Background: Hair loss affects over 25% of women in developed countries. Three hairdisorders, androgenetic alopecia, telogen effluvium and alopecia areata which account formost cases of nonscarring alopecia in women. Iron deficiency has been reported in themajority of women presenting with diffuse hair loss. Iron has important function in oxidationreductionreactions, collagen synthesis, and as a co-factor for enzymes.Objectives: To assess the percentage of the low serum ferritin hair loss females and theirresponse to oral iron replacement therapy.Materials and methods: a prospective cohort study conducted in at Marjan teaching hospitalfrom August 2013 to January 2015. It included 72 female complained from diffuse hair losswere enrolled in this study. Full history was taken from all patients and physical examinationswere done both general examination and local examination of the scalp including pull test.Patients were sent to complete blood examinations, serum ferritin. Patients divided in to threegroups according to their response to treatment. Before the treatment the severity of hair losswas assess by VAS.Results: Fifty two patients met criteria of inclusion. Their serum ferritin levels range between(1.4-14.4) with mean 6.16±3.30 their hemoglobin levels were (8.3-13.4) with mean ±SD11.98±1.22. Group I patients included 27 patients (51.9%), their severity of hair loss beforetreatment was assess by VAS which was 9.18±0.84, after two week of treatment the scorebecome 7.33±1.03, P value is < 0.0001; confidence interval 95% = ( 1.477 to 2.277). in groupII patients which included 12 patients (23%), their severity of hair loss before treatment wasassess by VAS which was 9.33±0.49, after two week of treatment the score become 9.08±0.66,P value is 0.081 considered not significant; confidence interval 95% = (-0.037 to 0.537). Theother thirteen patients (25%) represented the third group. All the patients in this group didn’tshow any response to treatmentConclusion: Measurement of serum ferritin level should be done to all patients with chronictelogen effluvium before starting other anti-hair loss modalities. Iron replacement is a safedrug with a few side effects and indicated to all females with low serum ferritin level.

} }