Retrospective Analysis of Pediatric Alopecia Areata Treated with Methotrexate

    July 2021 in “ Dermatology archives
    Emily Correia, Jones Michael, Castelo-Soccio Leslie
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    Studysummary In this study, 27 pediatric patients with alopecia areata treated with methotrexate showed statistically significant improvement in hair regrowth between 12-15 months, suggesting the medication's delayed but effective results, though common side effects included mood changes and gastrointestinal discomfort.
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    The study retrospectively analyzed 27 pediatric patients with alopecia areata (AA) treated with methotrexate at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia from 2015 to 2018. It found a statistically significant decrease in Severity of Alopecia Tool (SALT) scores at 12-15 months of treatment, indicating an improvement in the severity of the disease, although no significant improvement was observed at 6-9 months. The most common side effects reported were mood changes and gastrointestinal discomfort. The results suggest that methotrexate may be an effective and safe treatment option for AA in pediatric patients, with delayed but significant outcomes.
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