The Relationship Between Depression Levels and Suicide Risk in Pediatric Patients with Alopecia Areata and the Oxidant-Antioxidant Balance

Aim: This research aimed to investigate oxidative stress (OS) markers and their relation to depressive symptoms and suicide tendencies in children diagnosed with alopecia areata (AA) compared to a healthy cohort. Materials and Methods:A cross-sectional design was implemented, enrolling 30 children with AA and 30 healthy peers.The biomarkers evaluated included malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), total antioxidant status (TAS), total oxidant status (TOS), OS index (OSI), asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), and homocysteine.Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was used to determine their diagnostic potential.Psychiatric conditions were assessed using Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fifth edition based interviews, while depressive severity and suicide risk were measured through the Beck Depression Inventory and the Suicide Probability Scale, respectively. Results:Children with AA displayed significantly elevated levels of MDA, TOS, OSI, ADMA, and homocysteine, while TAS and SOD values were notably reduced (P < 0.001).Depression and suicide scores did not differ significantly between groups.Diagnostic accuracy for TAS, TOS, OSI, and SOD reached 96.7% sensitivity and 93.3% specificity.Homocysteine, MDA, and ADMA also showed acceptable predictive power. Conclusion:The findings support a possible etiological contribution of OS in the development of AA.