Real-world effectiveness and safety of tofacitinib for alopecia areata: A retrospective cohort study of 202 patients

Background

Alopecia areata (AA) is an autoimmune hair loss disorder characterised by collapse of hair follicle immune privilege and mediated by autoreactive CD8+ T lymphocytes and natural killer cells. Treatment is often unsatisfactory. The Janus kinase-signal transducer and activator of transcription (JAK–STAT) pathway is implicated in the pathogenesis of AA and Janus Kinase inhibitor (JAKi) medications are promising emerging treatments for AA.

Objectives

We evaluated the safety and effectiveness of tofacitinib in a real-world setting over 18 months of treatment.

Methods

A retrospective cohort study of all patients with scalp AA commenced on tofacitinib between 1 November 2016 and 31 May 2019. The primary endpoint was the percent change in Severity of Alopecia Tool (SALT) score at 18 months.

Results

Two hundred and two patients were included. After 18 months of treatment, 55.9%, 42.6% and 29.2% achieved 50%, 75% and 90% reductions in their SALT scores respectively. Increased duration of AA was a negative predictor of hair regrowth. Males and patients with baseline SALT ≥90 were slower to respond to treatment in the first 12 months. One hundred and twenty-four patients and 168 patients received concomitant systemic corticosteroids or low-dose oral minoxidil during tofacitinib therapy respectively. There were no serious adverse events.

Conclusion

Tofacitinib was a safe and effective treatment for patients with moderate-to-severe AA. Further randomised controlled studies are needed to establish the optimal treatment regimen.