Treatment of Severe Alopecia Areata Using Methotrexate as an Adjunctive Drug in Combination with Intravenous and Oral Corticosteroids

The study investigated the use of methotrexate as an adjunctive therapy with corticosteroids for severe alopecia areata in 120 patients over one year. Methotrexate was administered weekly alongside low-dose prednisolone and periodic methylprednisolone. Results showed that 57.7% of patients achieved total hair regrowth, and 44.75% remained disease-free at the one-year follow-up. However, 56.25% experienced relapses, and 7.5% had severe adverse effects. The study concluded that methotrexate could be a safe and well-tolerated treatment option, though further controlled trials were recommended to address remaining questions.