Successful treatment of alopecia universalis with alefacept: a case report and review of the literature.
Alopecia universalis often responds poorly to standard therapies. We report how a novel treatment option, alefacept, was successfully used in the management of a 21-year-old woman with alopecia universalis. The patient responded with complete regrowth of scalp and body hair after a single 12-week treatment course of alefacept. In addition, a review of the literature was performed pertaining to the use of biologic agents in the treatment of alopecia areata/universalis to determine which agents have a potential role in the treatment of this often refractory disease.
Department of Dermatology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans 70112, USA.
Kim
K
Bui
Sudhir
S
Polisetty
Heidi
H
Gilchrist
Scott M
SM
Jackson
Jeffrey
J
Frederic
D000068879:Adalimumab; D000328:Adult; D000077944:Alefacept; D000505:Alopecia / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000068800:Etanercept; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000069285:Infliximab; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007155:Immunologic Factors; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D000069285:Infliximab; D000077944:Alefacept; D000068879:Adalimumab; D000068800:Etanercept; C472181:efalizumab