Epidemiology, Treatment Patterns, And Healthcare Resource Utilization Study Of Patients With Alopecia Areata In Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database

The study examined 6,016 alopecia areata (AA) patients in Taiwan from 2016 to 2020, revealing an increase in AA cases, particularly severe ones. Severe patients utilized more systemic therapies and had higher healthcare resource usage, including outpatient visits. Topical therapies were the most common treatment, but systemic therapies, especially glucocorticoids, saw increased use among severe cases. The study highlighted low treatment persistence, indicating unmet needs for effective therapies. It also noted a higher prevalence of allergic urticaria in severe AA patients, suggesting complex environmental and genetic interactions. The findings emphasize the need for new treatments to reduce the clinical and economic burden of AA in Taiwan.