Unsuccessful Treatment of Alopecia Areata with Simvastatin/Ezetimibe: Experience in 12 Patients

January 2017 in “ Skin appendage disorders ”

Mabe Freitas Gouveia, Ralph M. Trüeb

alopecia areata simvastatin ezetimibe myalgia creatine phosphokinase

Studysummary This study reported that oral simvastatin/ezetimibe therapy was ineffective for treating alopecia areata, with 67% of participants experiencing no hair regrowth. Additionally, 24% of patients experienced adverse effects, including myalgia, highlighting the need to weigh potential risks against questionable benefits. Our plain-language summary of this paper — not a Tressless recommendation.

In a study from 2017 involving 12 patients with severe forms of alopecia areata, treatment with simvastatin/ezetimibe 40/10 mg over a 6-month period was found to be ineffective. The majority of patients (67%) experienced no hair regrowth, while some had transient or patchy regrowth (24%) that was not cosmetically satisfactory. Additionally, 24% of the patients reported adverse effects such as myalgia, and one patient had an elevation of creatine phosphokinase. The study concluded that simvastatin/ezetimibe is not an effective treatment for alopecia areata, particularly in severe cases or those refractory to other treatments, and the potential serious side effects should be carefully considered against the questionable benefits.

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Research cited in this study

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research Familial Aggregation of Alopecia Areata

295 citations , May 2016 in “Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology”

This review examines the immunological aspects of alopecia areata, focusing on genetic, neuroimmunological, and immune privilege factors, but does not report new clinical findings.

research Alopecia Areata Is Driven by Cytotoxic T Lymphocytes and Is Reversed by JAK Inhibition

701 citations , August 2014 in “Nature medicine”

This study found that JAK inhibitors promote hair regrowth in both mice and human alopecia areata cases by blocking key immune pathways involved in disease development.

research Killing Two Birds with One Stone: Oral Tofacitinib Reverses Alopecia Universalis in a Patient with Plaque Psoriasis

185 citations , June 2014 in “Journal of Investigative Dermatology”

This case report describes complete hair regrowth in a patient with alopecia universalis and improved psoriasis after treatment with the oral Janus kinase inhibitor, tofacitinib.

research Genome-Wide Association Study in Alopecia Areata Implicates Both Innate and Adaptive Immunity

717 citations , June 2010 in “Nature”

This study identified key genetic regions associated with alopecia areata, highlighting both acquired and innate immune involvement, with a novel link to the upregulation of ULBP ligands in autoimmune disease.

research Interventions for Alopecia Areata

164 citations , April 2008 in “Cochrane library”

This review of interventions for alopecia areata found no significant treatment benefits for hair growth compared to placebo, indicating a need for larger, well-conducted studies.