Outcome measure instruments for the assessment and treatment of androgenetic alopecia: A scoping review

Condition-specific outcome measure instruments (OMIs) are essential for assessing severity and evaluating response to emerging treatments. This scoping review identified OMIs used in assessing and treating androgenetic alopecia (AGA). Among 317 studies involving 194,158 individuals, 12 clinician-reported OMIs were identified, used in 51.7% of studies, including 31% of clinical trials. Hamilton-Norwood (23.9%) and Ludwig (20%) were the most used ClinROMs in AGA clinical trials, for male-pattern and female-pattern hair loss, respectively. The Men Hair Growth Questionnaire (MHGQ) was the most frequently used patient-reported severity assessment instrument in clinical trials (4.1%). The Women's Androgenetic Alopecia Quality of Life (WAA-QoL) and Hairdex were the only identified HRQoL instruments, used in 5.9% and 1.4% of clinical trials, respectively. Condition-specific OMIs are inconsistently applied across AGA clinical trials. Patient-reported instruments have remained underutilized. Our results underscore the need for consensus-based harmonization towards standardized assessment of AGA. Psychometric evaluation of existing instruments is also essential.