Treatment of Moderate-to-Severe Alopecia Areata in Adolescents With Baricitinib: A Retrospective Review of 29 Patients
January 2023
in “
Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology
”
TLDR Baricitinib helped most teenagers with severe hair loss regrow hair and had mild side effects.
The retrospective review of 29 adolescents (16 males and 13 females) with moderate-to-severe alopecia areata (AA) treated with baricitinib for ≥3 months between January 2019 and February 2022 showed promising results. The study found that 23 out of 29 patients (79%) experienced partial or complete scalp hair regrowth, with a median percentage change in Severity of Alopecia Tool (SALT) score of 93%. The mean time to onset of hair regrowth was 2.6 months. Among responders, complete or near-complete eyebrow and eyelash hair regrowth was observed in 78% and 80% respectively. Adverse effects of baricitinib were mild and included conjunctivitis, neutropenia, hypercholesterolaemia, hypertriglyceridemia, transaminitis, and elevated serum creatinine. None of the patients required dose reduction or discontinuation of baricitinib due to adverse effects. The study concluded that baricitinib may be a promising treatment for moderate-to-severe AA in adolescents, but larger prospective studies are required to further investigate its efficacy and safety.
