Treatment of therapy-resistant Alopecia areata with fumaric acid esters.
BACKGROUND
Alopecia areata is a cosmetically very disfiguring clinical picture and can be a great emotional burden to the patient, especially when persisting for a longer period of time.


METHODS
10 patients with an alopecia resistant to therapy were treated within the bounds of an open, non-placebo controlled pilot study with fumaric acid esters (FAE's, Fumaderm) for a period of six months and a maximum dose of 120 mg dimethylfumarate per day. The shortest space of time between persistent Alopecia areata and the start of the therapy with FAE was between six months and 17 years.


RESULTS
Six patients took benefit from the six months therapy with FAE. In three of them very good results could be observed, presenting an almost entire remission, one patient showed a good success with a focal remission. With two patients a mediocre to moderate outcome was observed with growth of partly diffuse spread or very thin hair. Four patients took no benefit from the FAE therapy at all.


CONCLUSIONS
FAE can be useful in the treatment of therapy-resistant Alopecia areata. This therapy approach should be validated in a multi-centre study.
Venten
I
I
Department of Dermatology, Ruhr-University Bochum, Gudrunstrasse 56, D-44791 Bochum, Germany. info@irene-venten.de
Hess
N
N
Hirschmüller
A
A
Altmeyer
P
P
Brockmeyer
N
N
D000287:Administration, Topical; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000506:Alopecia Areata / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D016516:CD4-CD8 Ratio; D003879:Dermatologic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000069462:Dimethyl Fumarate; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005650:Fumarates / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010865:Pilot Projects; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D003879:Dermatologic Agents; D005650:Fumarates; D000069462:Dimethyl Fumarate