Recurrence of Alopecia Areata in a Patient Receiving Etanercept Injections

The document described a case of a 49-year-old man with rheumatoid arthritis and a history of alopecia areata who experienced a recurrence of alopecia areata while being treated with etanercept, a TNF-α blocker, for over 2 years. Despite the known association of alopecia areata with autoimmune mechanisms and the involvement of TNF-α, the recurrence during etanercept therapy suggested that TNF-α might not be essential in the disease's pathogenesis. This case highlighted the complexity of alopecia areata and the need for further research to understand its underlying mechanisms.