Suspected Cutaneous Drug Toxicity in Rheumatoid Arthritis—An Evaluation

January 1993 in “ Rheumatology ”

S. M. Wilkinson, Austin Smith, Martin J. Davis, Derek L. Mattey, P. T. Dawes

alopecia telogen effluvium gold therapy topical steroids hair loss steroid creams

TLDR Most skin rashes in rheumatoid arthritis patients were not caused by their medication, and careful evaluation allowed most to keep taking their beneficial treatment.

In a 2-year study of 114 rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients who developed suspected skin reactions to anti-rheumatic drugs, 71 (62%) had rashes unrelated to the drugs, while 43 (38%) had drug-related rashes, with gold therapy being the most common cause (31 patients). Most drug-related cases (23 patients) experienced a pityriasiform/discoid eczematous eruption treatable with potent topical steroids and sometimes reduced gold dosage. The study emphasized the importance of careful evaluation to allow 82% of patients to continue their beneficial drug therapy despite initial suspicions of adverse reactions. Additionally, the study noted that alopecia, specifically telogen effluvium, was drug-related in four cases, but hair regrowth occurred with continued drug use. The authors recommend a critical approach to managing rashes in RA patients on therapy to avoid unnecessary discontinuation of drugs and to maintain effective disease control.

View this study on academic.oup.com →

Discuss this study in the Community →

Related Community Posts Join

6 / 1000+ results

community C’est terrible - at my wits end

in Female 443 upvotes 1 year ago

A 29-year-old woman is experiencing gradual hair thinning since age 15, suspects Androgenic Alopecia, and has tried 5% minoxidil with little success. She has purchased various hair loss treatments including minoxidil, dutasteride, finasteride, and spironolactone, but is cautious about starting them due to potential interactions with her ADHD medication.

community 7 months of Dutasteride 1mg daily and 2.5-5mg oral minoxidil daily on Diffused Unpatterned Alopecia

in Progress Pictures 287 upvotes 11 months ago

A user shared their 7-month progress using 1mg daily Dutasteride and 2.5-5mg daily oral Minoxidil for diffuse unpatterned alopecia, showing significant hair regrowth with reduced shedding and no side effects. They experienced a severe initial shed but now have visual improvement, despite hair still being thinner than before.

community my density way below baseline and my temples still receding (8.5 months progress on fin/nizoral)

in Progress Pictures 2 years ago

A user's progress with their hair loss treatment, which includes finasteride and nizoral, as well as the potential for using minoxidil; other users providing advice based on their own experiences; and others discussing how buzz cuts can make diffuse thinning look worse than it is.

community 1mg fin daily. 1 month, 11 months, 1 year 2 months.

in Finasteride/Dutasteride 2129 upvotes 5 months ago

A user shared impressive hair regrowth results after using 1mg finasteride daily for over a year, with minimal side effects. The user also mentioned taking biotin gummies and experiencing periods of shedding followed by thicker hair growth.

community Vitamin D deficiency strongly correlates with androgenic alopecia, FMPH and telogen effluvium

in Research/Science 157 upvotes 1 month ago

Vitamin D deficiency is linked to hair loss, and supplementation with vitamin D can improve conditions like androgenic alopecia and telogen effluvium. Users discussed various dosages of vitamin D, emphasizing the importance of getting blood tests to determine the appropriate amount.

community I feel like people here shrug off nutritional issues too quickly. Particularly for Retrograde Alopecia.

in Chat 9 upvotes 1 year ago

The user believes Retrograde Alopecia may be linked to vitamin imbalances, specifically from taking too much Vitamin E, A, Zinc, and Selenium, and suggests it could be a middle ground between Androgenic Alopecia and Telogen Effluvium. Treatments for hair loss mentioned include Androgen inhibitors and improving lifestyle factors like nutrition and sleep, with topical melatonin also recommended for Retrograde Alopecia.

Similar Research

5 / 1000+ results

research Lupus Erythematosus and the Skin

2 citations, January 2004 in “Elsevier eBooks”

Lupus affects the skin in various ways, and proper skin examination is crucial for diagnosis and treatment.

research Westwood Carolina Conference on Clinical Dermatology

July 1980 in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology”

The conference concluded that understanding hair and nail disorders is important, iron deficiency may be linked to hair loss, and while some treatments for skin conditions are effective, they may have risks and high costs.

research Autoimmune Disease and Hair Loss

35 citations, October 2012 in “Dermatologic Clinics”

Autoimmune diseases can cause hair loss, and early treatment is important to prevent permanent damage.

research Treatment Strategies for Alopecia

34 citations, April 2009 in “Expert Opinion on Pharmacotherapy”

Some treatments work for common baldness, but there's less evidence for other hair loss types, and more research is needed.

research Diseases of Hair and Nails

3 citations, January 2012 in “Elsevier eBooks”

The document says that there are treatments for hair and nail diseases.