Efficacy and Tolerability of Methotrexate in Severe Childhood Alopecia Areata
TLDR Methotrexate sometimes helps regrow hair in children with severe alopecia areata and is generally safe.
In a retrospective study conducted in France from November 2005 to December 2009, the efficacy and safety of methotrexate (MTX) were assessed in 14 children with severe alopecia areata (AA). These children, aged between 8 and 18 years with an average age of 14.7 years, had been suffering from AA for an average of 5.7 years. MTX was administered weekly at an average maximum dose of 18.9 mg, over an average treatment duration of 14.2 months. Out of the 13 assessable children, MTX treatment resulted in successful hair regrowth (>50%) in 5 children, while it was considered a failure in the remaining 8. No serious side effects were reported. The study concluded that the efficacy of MTX in treating severe childhood AA is variable, but it can be considered as a treatment option in the absence of other effective therapies.
