Although androgenic alopecia(AGA) is not a systemic disease, some patients suffer anxiety about the progression of their condition. This study was conducted to ascertain whether there are any differences in QOL between mild and severe manifestations of AGA, and whether finasteride can improve the QOL of these patients.
Fifty six male AGA patients aged 18-76 y/o(average 33.8 y/o)answered the Visual Analogue Scale(VAS), Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI), WHO/QOL26 and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) questionnaires. The results of the first round of questionnaires submitted by the milder cases requiring no treatment (18 cases) were compared with those submitted by the moderate to severe cases requiring treatment with finasteride (1mg/day) (38 cases). There was no statistical significance between these groups in the indices above; analyses of STAI revealed that the 65 admitted patients reported feeling significantly higher anxiety compared to the healthy volunteers.
Twenty cases participated in the second interview following the administration of finasteride (1mg/day) for more than 6 months. The clinical effects were assessed by physicians as: excellent, good, moderate, no change, or worse. There was a statistical difference in the VAS (p<0.001) and DLQI (p<0.01) indices before and after the administration of finasteride. No significant changes occurred in the WHO/QOL 26 and STAI indices. With regard specifically to the 11 cases assessed by physicians as excellent or moderate, only VAS and DLQI indices significantly improved while those of WHO/QOL 26 and STAI did not.
AGA patients, even in the early stages of their condition, suffer from severe anxiety. Finasteride improves the QOL of these patients, and VAS and DLQI are useful tests for the evaluation of their QOL because of their high sensitivity.