Evidence Synthesis Gone Awry: The Perils of Aggregating Ineffective or Unsafe Doses in Alopecia Areata Reviews

    January 2026 in “ Cureus ”
    Arya Babul, Devina Mehta, Yssra Soliman … Najib Babul
    Studysummary This study on alopecia areata meta-analyses highlights the risk of misleading results when ineffective, unsafe, or unapproved dosing regimens are included, recommending methodological safeguards to ensure accurate data interpretation and avoid inappropriate causal inferences.
    Automatically generated from the study's abstract, not written by a person, and not a review of the full paper. Not medical advice or a treatment recommendation. Read the original study, and consult a qualified healthcare professional before changing treatment. Full disclaimer
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    Research cited in this study 24

    1. Efficacy and Safety of Deuruxolitinib, an Oral Selective Janus Kinase 1/2 Inhibitor, in Adults with Alopecia Areata: Results from the THRIVE-AA2 Phase 3, Randomized, Double-Blind, Controlled Trial Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology · 2025
    2. Evaluation of the Efficacy and Treatment-Emergent Adverse Events of Deuruxolitinib for Moderate to Severe Alopecia Areata: A Dose-Ranging Meta-Analysis of 1,372 Randomized Patients Frontiers in Medicine · 2025
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    4. Safety of Oral JAK Inhibitors in Treating Alopecia Areata: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis Frontiers in Pharmacology · 2025
    5. Patient-Reported Psychosocial Burdens and Quality of Life and Work Productivity Impacts Among Patients With Clinically Distinct Alopecia Areata Severity Profiles Advances in Therapy · 2025
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    14. Efficacy and Safety of the Oral Janus Kinase 3/Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor Ritlecitinib Over 24 Months: Integrated Analysis of the ALLEGRO Phase IIb/III and Long-Term Phase III Clinical Studies in Alopecia Areata British Journal of Dermatology · 2024
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