Alopecia Areata During Interferon Alpha-2b and Ribavirin Therapy

In 2002, a case study reported a 49-year-old woman with chronic hepatitis C who developed alopecia areata (AA) during treatment with Interferon α2b (IFN-α2b) and Ribavirin. She had previously experienced hair loss during two separate treatments with IFN-α alone, which resolved after therapy ended. During her third treatment cycle with the combination of IFN-α2b and Ribavirin, she developed three alopecic patches on her scalp, confirmed as AA by skin biopsy. Despite intralesional steroid treatment, she continued to develop new bald areas until the therapy was discontinued due to ineffective hepatitis C treatment. Three months after stopping the medication, she experienced complete hair regrowth. The study suggested that IFN-α2b might trigger AA in susceptible individuals and should be considered a non-dose-dependent cutaneous side effect of the drug. The pathogenesis of AA is still unclear, but it is thought to be an autoimmune disease with genetic and environmental factors. The case study emphasized the need for further research to confirm the association between IFN-α2b and AA.