Twice Weekly 5 mg Dexamethasone Oral Pulse in the Treatment of Extensive Alopecia Areata
September 1999
in “
The Journal of Dermatology
”
New to Alopecia Areata? There is a guide in the encyclopedia. Read the guide → Studysummary In this study, complete to excellent hair regrowth was observed in 63.3% of patients with extensive alopecia areata treated with biweekly dexamethasone pulses, although mild side effects were frequent.
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The study involved 30 patients (20 males, 10 females) with extensive alopecia areata, treated with 5 mg dexamethasone oral pulse twice weekly for a minimum of 12 weeks. Complete to excellent hair growth (75-95%) was observed in 16 patients (63.3%), good growth (50-74%) in 2 patients, and poor growth (<50%) in 3 patients (10%). Six patients (20%) showed no hair growth. Hair regrowth occurred after an average of 5.35 months, with some relapses successfully treated. Mild side effects were noted in 8 patients (26.6%), leading to discontinuation in one case. The treatment was proposed as a viable option for extensive alopecia areata.
