Diphencyprone and Topical Tacrolimus as Two Topical Immunotherapeutic Modalities: Are They Effective in the Treatment of Alopecia Areata Among Egyptian Patients? A Study Using CD4, CD8, and MHC II as Markers

In a study involving 50 Egyptian patients with alopecia areata (AA), the efficacy of two topical immunomodulative agents, diphencyprone (DPCP) and 0.1% tacrolimus, was evaluated. Patients were divided into two groups of 25, with one group treated with DPCP and the other with tacrolimus. Each patient received treatment on one side of the scalp, while the other side served as a control. Biopsies before and after treatment showed that DPCP treatment resulted in a 68% clinical response rate, with decreased CD4 expression and increased CD8 and MHC II expression in treated areas. In contrast, tacrolimus treatment did not significantly affect clinical response and showed a decrease in CD4 and MHC II expression without changes in CD8. The study concluded that DPCP is an effective treatment for AA, particularly in cases of patchy hair loss, with MHC II expression correlating with clinical response, while tacrolimus was not considered effective for AA treatment.