Hair Loss and 5-Aminosalicylic Acid Enemas

In a letter to the editor, the authors reported two cases of accelerated hair loss associated with the use of 5-aminosalicylic acid enemas for treating ulcerative proctitis. This was notable because 5-aminosalicylic acid, the active metabolite of sulfasalazine, was generally considered free of side effects when used topically. The cases involved a 24-year-old white man diagnosed with idiopathic distal ulcerative colitis, highlighting a potential adverse effect of a treatment otherwise deemed effective and safe in inducing remission from active ulcerative colitis.