Comparative Efficacy of JAK Inhibitors in Acute Versus Nonacute Alopecia Areata: A Retrospective Cohort Study

May 2026 in “ Acta Dermato Venereologica ”

Ruxin Ji, Man Zhang, Tian Tian, Jundong Huang, J X Jia, Min Li, X. H. Liang, Zhixiang Zhao, Fangfen Liu, Wei Shi, Ji Li, Shixin Duan, Aike Wu, Yan Tang

JAK inhibitors Janus kinase inhibitors tofacitinib ritlecitinib alopecia areata SALT100 acute alopecia areata non-acute alopecia areata

TLDR Early treatment with JAK inhibitors leads to better hair regrowth in acute alopecia areata.

This retrospective cohort study evaluated the efficacy of Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors, specifically tofacitinib and ritlecitinib, in treating 158 patients with alopecia areata (AA) over a period from 2021 to 2025. Patients were divided into acute (n=41) and non-acute (n=117) groups. The study found that patients with acute AA had significantly better outcomes, with 65% achieving complete hair regrowth (SALT100) by week 24, compared to 39.5% in the non-acute group. Tofacitinib treatment and mild-to-moderate baseline severity were significant predictors of being a super-responder. The study highlights the importance of early intervention with JAK inhibitors in acute AA for improved hair regrowth, despite limitations such as its single-center design and sample size.

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