Pediatric and Adolescent Alopecia Areata Treated With JAK Inhibitors: Balancing Efficacy and Safety Across Clinical Trials

The study analyzed 11 pediatric-inclusive trials involving over 5,000 participants to evaluate the efficacy and safety of JAK inhibitors for treating alopecia areata (AA) in children and adolescents. Results showed that 17-31% of adolescents and 20-40% of mixed-age participants achieved significant hair regrowth (SALT ≤ 20) by Week 24, compared to ≤ 2% on placebo. Most responders maintained regrowth through Week 48. Common adverse events included headache, nasopharyngitis/URTI, and acne, with serious adverse events being rare and unrelated to treatment. The study concludes that JAK inhibitors provide meaningful and durable hair regrowth with a manageable safety profile, surpassing traditional therapies and supporting their use as a primary treatment option for pediatric AA.