Topical Janus Kinase Inhibitors: A Review of Applications in Dermatology

Topical Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors showed promise in treating inflammatory skin conditions such as psoriasis and atopic dermatitis, with modest improvements in disease scores, patient-reported outcomes, and quality of life in a review of 11 articles involving 924 patients. However, results for vitiligo were mixed, showing improvements only in facial vitiligo, and conclusive efficacy data for alopecia areata was lacking. The review highlighted the need for larger phase 3 and 4 studies to better define the role of topical JAK inhibitors in dermatology, as early phase studies were promising but limited by the lack of standardization and the low number of randomized clinical trials.