Iron Supplementation May Improve the Patient’s Level of Satisfaction in Not-Low-Ferritin Telogen Effluvium: A Real-Life Observational Study

Abstract

Background: Telogen effluvium (TE) is the most common cause of alopecia in women. Treatment should address the etiological factors and may include adjuvant therapies. In practice, physicians may employ modified approaches and utilize various combinations of topical and oral molecules. Aims: In this real-life observational study, the aim was to evaluate the response of TE to iron supplementation. Materials and Methods: The population consisted of all patients who sought consultation for TE at our dermatology department between March 2021 and February 2022. Eligible participants were women, aged between 18 and 65, having a clinical diagnosis of TE, and intended for treatment with iron supplementation. Exclusion criteria comprised current pregnancy, chronic or active inflammatory disease, newly discovered dysthyroidism, concurrent use of hair supplements, topical minoxidil, or any other medications. The response was assessed based on the patient’s level of satisfaction, a significant indicator, given the substantial psychological impact of TE on women’s daily lives. Results: The analysis included 200 women. The average age was 32.9 ± 11.4 years. A recent history of COVID-19 or treated dysthyroidism was present in 18.5% and 8% of patients, respectively, but did not impact their response. Significantly, patients with baseline ferritin ≥50 ng/ml were mostly “very satisfied”, those with baseline ferritin <50 ng/ml were mostly “not satisfied”, and those with unknown levels were mostly “partially satisfied” with iron supplementation. A high dose of elemental iron and a prolonged duration of treatment significantly improved the patients’ level of satisfaction. Conclusion: Iron supplementation can improve the patient’s level of satisfaction in TE even if serum ferritin is not low.

Keywords

• ferritin
• iron supplementation
• quality of life
• telogen effluvium