An intelligent decision-making framework for evaluating the impact of blood tests and thyroid status on alopecia severity in women

Women can suffer from alopecia due to multiple criteria, including thyroid disorders, hormonal imbalances, anemia, medications, genetics, vaccines, and other health conditions. Therefore, this study applies multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) techniques to assess the various blood deficiencies and thyroid status disorders on alopecia severity and to support treatment prioritization. The 80 women diagnosed with various types of alopecia, using 14 blood tests, encompassing anemia, iron, as well as thyroid disorder types, had been analyzed. We employed the Fuzzy-Weighted Zero-Inconsistency (FWZIC) method with the aid of 8 dermatology and hematology experts to evaluate diverse types of blood deficiencies and thyroid status, which impact and cause alopecia in women. The second MCDM method we applied is the VIseKriterijumska Optimizacija I Kompromisno Resenje (VIKOR) to prioritize patients according to their severity, thereby enhancing the treatment prioritization and time management. The results of the proposed framework revealed that Serum ferritin, Thyroid Status, and FT3 were the most impactful tests, equal to (0.0907, 0.0821, 0.077), respectively, while Transferrin and MCHC had the least impact, equal to (0.0522, 0.046), respectively. Additionally, our results surfaced that the high ranks went to women with a significant thyroid dysfunction, specifically secondary hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism, as well as abnormalities in FT3 and ferritin levels, which emphasizes the influence of Serum Ferritin, Thyroid Status, and FT3 on the severity of alopecia disease in women. Therefore, this study aimed to analyze the factors that affect women’s susceptibility to diverse types of alopecia, highlighting the role of anemia, iron deficiency, and thyroid disorders. The research methodology relied on MCDM methods to analyze these relationships. The results confirmed the importance of relying on specific laboratory tests to monitor disease progression, enabling rapid and accurate medical intervention for women suffering from alopecia.