Search

Background: We previously reported the Alopecia Areata Consensus of Experts study, which presented results of an international expert opinion on treatments for alopecia areata., Objective: To report the results of the Alopecia Areata Consensus of Experts international expert opinion on diagnosis and laboratory evaluation for alopecia areata., Methods: Fifty hair experts from 5 continents were invited to participate in a 3-round Delphi process. Consensus threshold was set at greater than or equal to 66%., Results: Of 148 questions, expert consensus was achieved in 82 (55%). Round 1 consensus was achieved in 10 of 148 questions (7%). Round 2 achieved consensus in 47 of 77 questions (61%). The final face-to-face achieved consensus in 25 of 32 questions (78%). Consensus was greatest for laboratory evaluation (12 of 14 questions [86%]), followed by diagnosis (11 of 14 questions [79%]) of alopecia areata. Overall, etiopathogenesis achieved the least category consensus (31 of 68 questions [46%])., Limitations: The study had low representation from Africa, South America, and Asia., Conclusion: There is expert consensus on aspects of epidemiology, etiopathogenesis, clinical features, diagnosis, laboratory evaluation, and prognostic indicators of alopecia areata. The study also highlights areas where future clinical research could be directed to address unresolved hypotheses in alopecia areata patient care., (Copyright © 2020 American Academy of Dermatology, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: A systematic review failed to identify any systemic therapy used in alopecia areata (AA) where use is supported by robust evidence from high-quality randomized controlled trials., Objective: To produce an international consensus statement on the use and utility of various treatments for AA., Methods: Fifty hair experts from 5 continents were invited to participate in a 3-round Delphi process. Agreement of 66% or greater was considered consensus., Results: In the first round, consensus was achieved in 22 of 423 (5%) questions. After a face-to-face meeting in round 3, overall, consensus was achieved for only 130 (33%) treatment-specific questions. There was greater consensus for intralesional treatment of AA (19 [68%]) followed by topical treatment (25 [43%]). Consensus was achieved in 45 (36%) questions pertaining to systemic therapies in AA. The categories with the least consensus were phototherapy and nonprescription therapies., Limitations: The study included a comprehensive list of systemic treatments for AA but not all treatments used., Conclusion: Despite divergent opinions among experts, consensus was achieved on a number of pertinent questions. The concluding statement also highlights areas where expert consensus is lacking and where an international patient registry could enable further research., (Copyright © 2020 American Academy of Dermatology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)