Efficacy and Safety of Baricitinib in Patients With Refractory Alopecia Areata

The study "Efficacy and safety of baricitinib in patients with refractory alopecia areata" conducted by Yuqian Wang and colleagues involved 11 patients with refractory alopecia areata (AA) who were treated with baricitinib. All patients had previously received at least one therapy for more than a year, including minoxidil, steroids, phototherapy, acupuncture, or herbal medicine, but the response was poor. After 20 weeks of treatment with baricitinib, 2 patients (18%) achieved complete hair regrowth, 6 patients (55%) had partial hair regrowth, and 3 patients (27%) had no hair regrowth. Adverse events were mild and included nausea, folliculitis, and mild increases in liver transaminase levels. The study concluded that baricitinib is efficacious in treating refractory AA, but further trials are needed to confirm its safety and efficacy.