Alopecia Associated with Indinavir Therapy
August 1999
in “
New England journal of medicine/The New England journal of medicine
”
Studysummary This letter discusses observations of indinavir's effects on skin, likening them to those of retinoids, but does not present new clinical findings. Our plain-language summary of this paper — not a Tressless recommendation.
The document reported on a study of 10 HIV-positive homosexual men, aged 30-51, who experienced hair loss while on indinavir therapy. The hair loss, which began within the first six months of treatment, primarily affected the lower limbs but also other body regions and the scalp in some cases. Additional side effects included skin dryness, cheilitis, paronychia, and peripheral lipoatrophy. Hair regrowth and improvement in skin conditions were observed within four months after switching from indinavir to other antiviral medications. The study suggested that indinavir might enhance retinoic acid signaling, leading to these side effects.
