BH21 Efficacy and safety of oral Janus kinase inhibitors in the treatment of alopecia areata: a systematic review and meta-analysis

This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated the efficacy and safety of oral Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors in treating moderate-to-severe alopecia areata (AA) in adults. Analyzing 12 randomized controlled trials with 4141 participants, the study found that JAK inhibitors significantly outperformed placebo in achieving lower Severity of Alopecia Tool (SALT) scores, with odds ratios of 5.69 for SALT ≤ 10 at week 24 and 9.40 by week 36. Improvements were also observed in eyebrow and eyelash regrowth. While JAK inhibitors were linked to a higher risk of total adverse events, there was no significant difference in serious adverse events or treatment discontinuation compared to placebo. The study concludes that oral JAK inhibitors are effective for hair regrowth in AA patients, with a favorable safety profile, and suggests further research on long-term efficacy and safety.