Efficacy of Antihistamines in Combination with Topical Corticosteroid and Superficial Cryotherapy for Treatment of Alopecia Areata: A Retrospective Cohort Study

    July 2020 in “ Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology ”
    Young Bin Lee, Won‐Soo Lee
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    TLDR Adding antihistamines to topical corticosteroid and cryotherapy may improve hair regrowth in alopecia areata patients.
    In a retrospective cohort study, the efficacy of adjuvant antihistamines in combination with topical corticosteroid (TC) and superficial cryotherapy (SC) for the treatment of alopecia areata (AA) was investigated. The study included 145 patients who visited a hospital between February 2012 and November 2018, with 24 patients receiving adjuvant antihistamines (either fexofenadine or ebastine) and 121 not receiving them. The study found a significant difference in major hair regrowth in favor of the group treated with adjuvant antihistamines, with a mean duration of antihistamine use of 6.29 months within the AA treatment period. No adverse effects requiring discontinuation of antihistamines were reported. The study suggests a potential role for antihistamines in AA treatment, but acknowledges limitations such as its retrospective nature, single-center setting, small cohort size, and lack of a cumulative dose-dependent analysis. A well-designed comparative clinical trial is recommended to further evaluate the efficacy of antihistamines in AA.
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