Case Report: Reversal of Long-Standing Refractory Diffuse Non-Scarring Alopecia Due to Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Following Treatment With Tofacitinib

In 2021, a case report detailed the successful treatment of a 29-year-old patient with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) who had suffered from refractory diffuse non-scarring alopecia for 10 years. The patient, who had not responded to standard treatments, experienced significant hair regrowth after treatment with tofacitinib, a Janus kinase (JAK) 1/3 inhibitor. This was the first reported case of an SLE patient with refractory alopecia experiencing significant hair regrowth with tofacitinib therapy. The report also mentioned another JAK1/2 inhibitor, baricitinib, which had shown positive results in a phase II clinical trial for SLE and had successfully treated a similar case of alopecia. However, the authors noted that the efficacy and safety of tofacitinib in SLE patients needed further investigation through randomized controlled trials.