Oral Janus Kinase Inhibitors for the Treatment of Alopecia Areata: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

This systematic review and meta-analysis investigated the efficacy and adverse events of oral Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors in treating alopecia areata (AA). Analyzing 321 cases from 12 studies, the overall rate of achieving more than 50% hair regrowth (SALT50) was 66%. Ruxolitinib showed a higher response rate (79%) compared to tofacitinib (62%), though the difference was not statistically significant. Infections were the most common adverse events, with ruxolitinib having fewer adverse events (28%) than tofacitinib (35.2%). The study concluded that both tofacitinib and ruxolitinib were effective and tolerable for AA treatment, but emphasized the need for further randomized controlled trials with long-term follow-up.