Immunotherapy for resistant and/or severe alopecia areata in a university hospital setting in Northern Mexico

Herz‐Ruelas, Maira Elizabeth; Lozano‐Peña, Ana Karen; Ocampo‐Candiani, Jorge; Gómez‐Flores, Minerva; Welsh-Lozano, Oliverio; Vázquez‐Martínez, Osvaldo

doi:10.1111/ajd.13125

Cited by 1 publication

(1 citation statement)

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“…[1][2][3] In severe cases, which are accompanied by rapid, extensive hair loss (≥ 50%), the administration of more aggressive therapies are is necessitated; such therapies typically include the systemic administration of immunosuppressive agents (e.g., cyclosporine, azathioprine, methotrexate, and JAK/STAT inhibitors) and topical immune-modulators. [4][5][6][7][8] Arguments favoring the use of systemic immunosuppressive agents highlight their efficacy in the treatment of patients experiencing their first episode of hair loss, those who have experienced ≤ 12 months of hair loss, and those with < 50% hair loss; counter-arguments highlight the tendency to relapse after stopping immunosuppressive administration. 9 Indeed, 14% to 100% of patients relapse within 4 to 9 weeks after discontinuing steroids.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fractional laser and low-level light combination therapy in patients with recalcitrant alopecia areata

et al. 2022

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Background and ObjectivesThe current treatment options for alopecia areata (AA) typically aim to suppress inflammatory T-cell responses. Patients vary in their response to these treatments, and some do not respond to one or more types of therapy. Herein, we report the outcomes of combination therapy, employing fractional laser treatment and low-level light therapy (LLLT), with a focus on patients with recalcitrant AA. Materials and MethodsLLLT (HEALITE II ® ; Lutronic, Goyang, Republic of Korea) and fractional laser treat ment (Starlux TM 1540; Palomar Medical Technologies Inc., Burlington, MA, USA) were administered to the subjects every two weeks. Two dermatologists independently compared photographs taken at baseline and final follow-up visits and assessed the level of hair regrowth using a 5-point scale. The scale levels and their description are as follows: 0, no improvement; 1, < 25% (slight improvement); 2, 25%-50% (moderate improvement); 3, 50%-75% (marked improvement); and 4, 75%-100% (most improvement). ResultsTwenty patients (13 males and 7 females) were evaluated in this study. The mean improvement level was 2.55 points with 55% (n = 11) of patients showing > 50% improvement. No serious adverse events occurred, and treatment cessation was never deemed necessary. ConclusionBased on the results of this study, we propose that combination therapy may represent a viable new approach for the treatment of recalcitrant AA.

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