The Development of Universal Alopecia During Therapy With TNF-α Inhibitors in Patients With Ankylosing Spondylitis: Description of Three Cases

October 2021 in “ Rheumatology Science and Practice ”

M. V. Aristova, Е. М. Agafonova, A. E. Dimitreva, К. V. Sakharova, С. О. Красненко, Ш. Ф. Эрдес

universal alopecia alopecia areata TNF-α inhibitors pro-inflammatory cytokines

TLDR TNF-α inhibitors may cause complete hair loss in some patients with ankylosing spondylitis.

The document described three clinical cases where patients with ankylosing spondylitis developed universal alopecia (UA) during therapy with TNF-α inhibitors. Universal alopecia is a severe form of alopecia areata, characterized by complete hair loss across the body. The study explored potential mechanisms behind this condition, highlighting the involvement of pro-inflammatory cytokines. This suggested that TNF-α inhibitors, while used to treat certain autoimmune conditions, might trigger or exacerbate hair loss in some patients.

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