Eosinophilic Esophagitis: Another Atopy-Related Alopecia Areata Trigger?

Alopecia areata (AA) is associated with atopy in 10-22% of patients, twice the prevalence in the general population. Patients can present with concomitant atopic dermatitis, hay fever, asthma, and even allergies to dust mites. In many cases, severity and flares of these atopic diatheses correlate with severity of AA. Herein we present a patient with AA affected by contemporaneous eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE). EoE is a recently recognized allergic disorder, mediated by eosiniphils and histamine. It is characterized by esophageal dysfunction and intraepithelial microabscesses. We propose that EoE be considered as a condition falling within the realm of atopic diseases, and a potential trigger of AA in affected patients.