Do patients with LPP have an increased risk of thyroid disease?

Thyroid Disease Present in 1 out of 3 Patients with Lichen Planopilaris

A variety of blood tests are important for all patients with hair loss. The exact tests that are needed vary somewhat depending on the specific type of hair loss in question. For patients with lichen planopilaris, thyroid studies must always be part of a general work-up. 

In 2014, Mesinkovska and colleagues at the Cleveland Clinic set out to evaluate the frequency of thyroid disorders in patients with lichen planopilaris. They evaluated the medical records of 166 patients with LPP. They compared the thyroid lab work in these patients to 81 age- and gender-matched control subjects.

Interestingly, a diagnosis of thyroid disease was present in 34% (n = 57) of the 166 patients with LPP, but just 11% (n = 9) of the control subjects. When confined to hypothyroidism alone, this disease was found in 29% (n = 48) of the patients with LPP and 9% (n = 7) of the control subjects.

Conclusion

Hyperthyroidism is common in lichen planopilaris. This data suggests that about 1 in every 3 patients may have thyroid disease. Screening tests for thyroid abnormalities are essential in all patients with lichen planopilaris.

Reference

Atanaskova Mesinkovska N, et al. Association of lichen planopilaris with thyroid disease: a retrospective case-control study. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2014.