Association of Serum VEGF-A and VCAM-1 Levels With Nailfold Capilleroscopic Alterations in Alopecia Areata
Enrolling by invitation
Conditions studied: Alopecia Areata, Alopecia Areata(AA), Alopecia Areata (AA)
In brief
The goal of this observational study is to learn about microvascular changes and hair follicle activity in patients with alopecia areata. The main questions it aims to answer are: Do blood levels of markers related to blood vessel formation (VEGF-A) and inflammation (VCAM-1) differ between patients with alopecia areata and healthy individuals? Is there a link between these blood markers and structural changes in the nailfold capillaries? How do these markers relate to specific trichoscopic signs of disease activity (such as black dots or exclamation mark hairs) and the overall severity of hair loss (SALT score)? Researchers will compare patients with alopecia areata (grouped by disease duration: acute \<6 months vs. chronic \>6 months) to healthy volunteers to see if there is a significant difference in systemic and local vascular indicators. Participants will: Undergo a trichoscopic scalp examination to identify markers of disease activity (black dots, yellow dots, exclamation mark hairs) and calculate the SALT score. Have their nailfolds examined with a digital capillaroscope (50x) to detect microvascular alterations. Provide a blood sample to measure the levels of VEGF-A and VCAM-1.
Key facts
- Study ID
- NCT07499713
- Run by
- Istanbul Training and Research Hospital
- People needed
- 90
- Starts
- 2026-04-01
- Expected to finish
- 2026-07-01
- Last updated by the study team
- 2026-03-30
Who can join
Age: 18 and older, up to 60. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: accepted.
You may qualify if…
- Age: Participants aged between 18 and 60 years.
- Diagnosis: Clinical and trichoscopic diagnosis of Alopecia Areata (AA) by a dermatologist.
- Categorization: "Acute" (<6 months duration) or "Chronic" (≥6 months duration) groups.
- Consent: Ability to provide written informed consent for participation in the study.
You may not qualify if…
- Medical History: Patients with a history of diabetes mellitus, autoimmune diseases, connective tissue diseases, chronic inflammatory or vascular diseases.
- Pregnancy \& Lactation: Pregnancy or breastfeeding.
- Lifestyle Factors: Active smoking or chronic alcohol use.
- Hair \& Nail Conditions: Causes of hair loss other than alopecia areata, the presence of any nail disease, or having had a manicure within the last 3 weeks.
Where it is running
- Istanbul Education and Research Hospital — Istanbul, Turkey (Türkiye)
Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov
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