Alopecia Areata and Dexamethasone Mini-Pulse Therapy, A Prospective Cohort: Real World Evidence and Factors Related to Successful Response

The study assessed the effectiveness and safety of mini-pulse oral corticosteroids treatment in patients with alopecia areata (AA) who did not respond to topical therapies. It found a significant decrease in the SALT score, with 51.8% of patients achieving a SALT-50 response after 9 months. However, hypothyroidism and early age of onset were predictors of poor response. The combination with oral minoxidil did not affect the SALT score reduction. Higher doses of dexamethasone were linked to more side effects. Overall, the treatment was effective for AA, but less so for patients with early onset or hypothyroidism.