Real-World Outcomes and Safety of JAK Inhibitors in Pediatric Alopecia Areata: A Retrospective Multicenter Study

This retrospective multicentre study evaluated the real-world outcomes and safety of Janus kinase inhibitors (JAKi) in 46 pediatric patients with alopecia areata across 11 Spanish hospitals. The study found that 21.6% of patients achieved a 50% improvement in the Severity of Alopecia Tool (SALT-50) by weeks 4-8, increasing to 80% by week 48. Eyebrow and eyelash responses improved alongside scalp hair. Adverse events were mostly mild, occurring in 34.8% of patients, with 4.3% discontinuing treatment. The study noted that higher baseline SALT scores reduced the odds of response, and response rates varied across different JAKi drugs, though comparisons were confounded by non-random treatment allocation. Overall, JAKi showed improvements in hair regrowth with a favorable safety profile, but causal inferences and drug comparisons are limited due to study design constraints.