Association of Serum VEGF-A and VCAM-1 Levels With Nailfold Capilleroscopic Alterations in Alopecia Areata

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.

NCT Number	NCT07499713
Lead Sponsor	Istanbul Training and Research Hospital
Conditions	Alopecia Areata, Alopecia Areata(AA), Alopecia Areata (AA)
Enrollment	90 participants
Start Date	2026-04-01
Primary Completion	2026-06-01 (estimated)
Study Completion	2026-07-01 (estimated)
Updated on ClinicalTrials.gov	2026-03-30