Topical Immunotherapy With Diphenylcyclopropenone in Different Types of Alopecia Areata: Association With Clinical Parameters and a Functional Gene Polymorphism of the Interleukin-6 Promoter

This study investigated 97 patients with different types of alopecia areata, focusing on the effectiveness of topical immunotherapy with diphenylcyclopropenone (DPCP) and its association with clinical parameters and a functional gene polymorphism in the interleukin-6 promoter. The study found that alopecia areata universalis and totalis were associated with a positive family history and nail growth disorders, and these types tended to occur at a younger age. DPCP was considered the most effective treatment at the time, with 86 patients undergoing therapy. A half-side success was achieved in 64% of patients, and complete regrowth was seen in 50%. The likelihood of treatment success was higher for the multilocularis and ophiasis types and lower for the universalis and totalis types. Success was more likely with shorter disease duration and older age at onset, and was independent of family history, spontaneous remission, associated autoimmune diseases, and nail growth disorders. The study also identified a single nucleotide polymorphism in the IL-6 promoter region, with the universalis type associated with the CC genotype and the multilocularis type with the GG genotype, marking the first description of alopecia areata's dependence on this gene polymorphism.