Simvastatin/Ezetimibe Therapy for Recalcitrant Alopecia Areata: An Open Prospective Study of 14 Patients

In a prospective open study from 2017, the combination therapy of simvastatin (40 mg) and ezetimibe (10 mg) was tested on 14 patients with recalcitrant alopecia areata (AA), where the bald surface exceeded 75%. After 3 months of daily treatment, 4 patients (28.6%) experienced hair regrowth ranging from 30% to 80%. Responders had a significantly higher mean age of onset compared to non-responders, and a lower total score of prognostic factors associated with poor prognosis. Despite a low remission rate, the therapy was considered an alternative for AA that had not responded to other treatments. The study also found that the total scores of prognostic factors differed statistically between responders and non-responders, which could help predict treatment outcomes and anticipate prognosis for simvastatin/ezetimibe therapy in AA.