Real-World Observational Evaluation of Hair Thinning in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis Receiving Teriflunomide: Is It an Issue in Clinical Practice?
August 2018
in “
Neurology and Therapy
”
TLDR Hair thinning is a common but generally mild and reversible side effect of teriflunomide in multiple sclerosis patients.
In the 2018 study involving 38 patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) treated with teriflunomide, researchers found that hair thinning was a side effect that typically began 77 days after starting the medication. The majority of these patients were women (97%) and did not have a history of hair thinning (87%), with 68% also taking other medications that could cause hair thinning. Hair thinning was classified as mild in 63% of cases, moderate in 34%, and severe in 3%, with patients rating their severity on average as 5/10. At follow-up, 79% of patients experienced complete or near-complete resolution or significant improvement of hair thinning while still on teriflunomide. The study concluded that while hair thinning is a common side effect of teriflunomide, it is generally mild and reversible without discontinuing the treatment, highlighting the need for patient education on potential side effects. The study was funded by Sanofi.
