Combined Oral Pulse and Topical Corticosteroid Therapy for Severe Alopecia Areata in Children: A Long-Term Follow-Up Study
July 2015
in “
Dermatologic therapy
”
TLDR The combined therapy was effective and safe for children with severe alopecia areata.
The study evaluated the effectiveness of combined oral pulse and topical corticosteroid therapy in 65 children with severe alopecia areata (AA) affecting more than 30% of the scalp. The treatment involved oral dexamethasone and clobetasol propionate ointment. After 6-12 months, 56.9% of patients experienced over 75% hair regrowth, with 65.5% of those with AA plurifocalis (AAP) achieving complete regrowth. Overall, 61.5% of patients were considered good responders, particularly those with AA lasting 12 months or less. Long-term follow-up (median 96 months) showed stable hair regrowth without serious side effects, indicating that this combined therapy was effective and safe for children with severe AA.
