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High-dose steroid pulse therapy for the treatment of severe alopecia areata.
- Source :
-
Journal of the Formosan Medical Association = Taiwan yi zhi [J Formos Med Assoc] 2002 Mar; Vol. 101 (3), pp. 223-6. - Publication Year :
- 2002
-
Abstract
- Growing evidence shows alopecia areata (AA) to be a T cell-mediated organ-specific autoimmune disease. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of high-dose steroid pulse therapy in Taiwanese patients with severe widespread AA exceeding 40% of the scalp. A total of 17 Taiwanese patients with severe AA lasting less than 2 years were treated once monthly at the outpatient clinic for six sessions. Children younger than 12 years of age received oral prednisolone (5 mg/kg) in three divided doses, while for adults, 500 mg methylprednisolone was infused intravenously over 2 hours. Patients with multifocal AA exhibited the most favorable response, with more than 75% hair regrowth (9/11). Relapse occurred in two patients at 4 and 8 months after the last treatment, respectively. One patient with ophiatic AA showed a transient response, but subsequently lost hair even upon continuation of therapy. Two patients of four with alopecia totalis had full hair regrowth but one lost hair again 6 months later. In the only patient with alopecia universalis, less than 10% hair regrowth occurred. No major side effects were observed. In summary, 11 of 17 patients (64.7%) had more than 75% hair regrowth after steroid pulse therapy. Our results indicated that steroid pulse therapy, given at 5-10 mg/kg once monthly for an average of 6 months, is effective and well tolerated in Taiwanese patients with severe multifocal AA lasting less than 2 years.
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 0929-6646
- Volume :
- 101
- Issue :
- 3
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- Journal of the Formosan Medical Association = Taiwan yi zhi
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 12051021