Alopecia areata is an autoimmune, non-scarring hair loss disorder characterized by variable clinical severity. Toll-like receptor 7 (TLR7) plays a key role in innate immune activation and autoimmune responses. The rs3853839 polymorphism of the TLR7 gene has been implicated in immune-mediated diseases. This study aims to evaluate the association between TLR7 rs3853839 polymorphism and susceptibility to alopecia areata, and to assess its correlation with disease severity measured by the Severity of Alopecia Tool (SALT) score.

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Inclusion Criteria (Cases):

• Clinical diagnosis of alopecia areata
• Age ≥ 18 years
• Both genders
• Provision of written informed consent

Inclusion Criteria (Controls):

• Apparently healthy individuals
• No personal or family history of autoimmune disease
• Age- and sex-matched to patient group
• Provision of written informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

• Presence of other autoimmune or inflammatory disorders
• Current systemic immunosuppressive therapy
• Pregnancy or lactation
• Refusal to participate

Exclusion Criteria:

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The study includes 60 patients clinically diagnosed with alopecia areata and 60 age- and sex-matched healthy controls recruited from the same geographic region.