TLDR Oral tofacitinib can treat both psoriasis and alopecia universalis by normalizing inflammatory pathways.
The document discussed the Renbök phenomenon, where one inflammatory condition excludes another, observed in a patient with both psoriasis and alopecia universalis. Treatment with oral tofacitinib led to hair regrowth and resolution of psoriasis, suggesting that the drug suppressed or normalized the inflammatory pathways involved. This case highlighted the potential of Janus kinase inhibitors, which block IL15 signaling, as a promising therapy for both conditions. The findings underscored the distinct yet potentially overlapping inflammatory pathways in alopecia areata and psoriasis, and the need for further research to understand these mechanisms.
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185 citations
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December 2014 in “Journal of Investigative Dermatology” A man with severe hair loss and skin disease regrew his hair with no side effects after taking tofacitinib.
701 citations
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August 2014 in “Nature medicine” Alopecia areata can be reversed by JAK inhibitors, promoting hair regrowth.
295 citations
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April 2006 in “Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology” Alopecia areata, a common autoimmune hair loss condition, often runs in families.
November 2023 in “Cutis” Tofacitinib helped a woman with total-body hair loss grow her hair back.
1 citations
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January 2022 in “International Journal of Trichology” Tofacitinib can be effective in treating hair loss caused by alopecia areata.
4 citations
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July 2018 in “PubMed” Oral and topical tofacitinib can help regrow hair in people with severe alopecia areata.
16 citations
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July 2017 in “Rheumatology and Therapy” Tofacitinib, a medication for arthritis, showed potential for treating severe hair loss in a small Brazilian case series, but more research is needed.
16 citations
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January 2017 in “Acta dermatovenerologica Alpina, Pannonica et Adriatica (Tiskana izd.)” A patient with complete hair loss regrew all her hair using tofacitinib.
5 citations
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June 2015 in “Veterinary dermatology” A dog with complete hair loss regrew most hair after treatment, with no relapse after stopping treatment.