Efficacy, safety, and Pharmacoeconomics of Three Common Strategies for Pediatric Alopecia Areata Patients: A Retrospective Cohort Study

Abstract

Objective

To evaluate and explore the efficacy, safety, and pharmacoeconomics of three common strategies for pediatric alopecia areata.

Methods

Chinese pediatric alopecia areata patients meeting the criteria were included and divided into three groups based on the received treatments. The efficacy, adverse events and pharmacoeconomics of these treatments were retrospectively analyzed.

Results

Twenty-four pediatric AA patients were recruited in this study. 100% (12/12) of patients from the traditional group achieved SALT100. In the tofacitinib group, 40.0% (2/5) of patients achieved SALT50. 20.0% (1/5) of patients achieved SALT75 and 40.0% (2/5) of patients achieved SALT100. In the MN group, 42.86% (3/7) of patients were non-responders. 14.28 (1/7) of patients achieved SALT75 and 42.86% (3/7) of patients achieved SALT100. The adverse effects (AEs) were mild in all three groups, and none of the patients discontinued the treatments due to the AEs. Comparing the other two groups, the MN treatment would be more time-intensive and more expensive.

Conclusion

For newly diagnosed or naive pediatric patients, the traditional treatment was the first-line approach. For long-duration, severe and refractory patients, tofacitinib and microneedling can be alternative options.

Keywords:

• pediatric
• alopecia areata
• tofacitinib
• microneedling
• efficacy

Data Sharing Statement

The datasets generated during and/or analysed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

Ethics Approval

Our study complies with the Declaration of Helsinki and was approved by the Ethics Committee of the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine (2023-0039).

Consent to Participate

Written informed consent was obtained from the parents. The authors affirm that human research participants provided informed consent for publication of the images in Figures 2-4.

Acknowledgments

Thanks are due to Dr. Richard D Granstein for polish this paper.

Author Contributions

All authors made a significant contribution to the work reported, whether that is in the conception, study design, execution, acquisition of data, analysis and interpretation, or in all these areas; took part in drafting, revising or critically reviewing the article; gave final approval of the version to be published; have agreed on the journal to which the article has been submitted; and agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work.

Disclosure

The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work.

Additional information

Funding

This work is supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (82073425, 82003332 and 82373503).