Objective  To investigate the correlation of psychosocial factors with risk of alopecia areata (AA).  Methods    Case-control study was performed on 261 AA patients identified in our department from March 2008 to March 2009

and 259 age and sex-matched health controls from Southwest Hospital. Data for clinic and demographic factors were obtained by standard approaches. Stressful situations were evaluated by using Holmes and Rahe’s social readjustment rating scale (SRRS) for the patients in the past 6 months of AA onset and for healthy controls before the enrolling.  Results    The effects of stress on AA were similar in men and women

as well as in various AA type (Fisher’s exact test

P0.05). There were 51.34% of AA patients experiencing at least 2 stressful events

compared with 32.05% of controls (P0.01). The main stressful life events were changes of sleep

modification of habits

family troubles

problems of work and school as well as involvement of finance. The SRRS Results   showed that the patients with AA had a higher depression scores than controls (P0.01). Stress life events occurred in the patients with AA more frequently than healthy controls.  Conclusion    These findings indicate that stressful life events are associated with AA and AA may

in some patients

be triggered by stress. The clarification of the stress triggering mechanisms may be a way to guard against AA.