Lichen Planopilaris Treated by the Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor-γ Agonist Pioglitazone: Lack of Lasting Improvement or Cure in the Majority of Patients

    October 2013 in “ Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology ”
    Philipp Spring, Zoi Spanou, Pierre A. de Viragh
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    TLDR Pioglitazone usually doesn't effectively treat or cure lichen planopilaris.
    The study evaluated the effectiveness of pioglitazone in treating lichen planopilaris (LPP) in 22 patients who had not responded to conventional treatments. The average patient age was 51, and they were treated with a 15 mg daily dose of pioglitazone for up to one year. Only 3 patients experienced a cessation of disease activity, while 10 stopped treatment after an average of 6 months due to no positive effect. Four patients saw initial improvement, but symptoms returned after stopping the medication. Five patients had a lasting reduction in symptoms but continued to show disease activity. Increasing the dose to 30 mg did not show additional benefits. The study concluded that pioglitazone was not effective for most patients with LPP, suggesting that any improvements might be due to temporary anti-inflammatory effects rather than a cure.
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