Efficacy and safety of diphenylcyclopropenone among Chinese patients with steroid resistant and extensive alopecia areata.
BACKGROUND
Topical immunotherapy has recently been found useful in the treatment of chronic and extensive Alopecia Areata (AA).


OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the efficacy and safety of diphenylcyclopropenone (DPCP) use among Chinese patients with steroid resistant and extensive AA in our institute.


METHODS
The medical records of 31 Chinese patients treated with DPCP were analysed retrospectively. The efficacy, adverse effects, and relapse rate of DPCP treatment were reviewed.


RESULTS
Thirty-one (16 male, 15 female) Chinese patients with extensive, steroid resistant Alopecia Areata and a mean age of 28.9 years (SE 10.4) were treated. The mean age of onset was 17.8 years (SE 8.8) with an average disease duration of 11.2 years (SE 7.7). Ten patients had a history of atopy and 4 had a history of thyroid disease. Nail changes were found in 14 patients and a family history of AA was found in 2 patients. Thirteen patients (41.9%) had experienced total hair loss. Two patients abandoned the treatment due to severe side effects. Of the remaining 29 patients, 4 (13.8%), 7 (24.1%), 5 (17.2%), and 13 (44.8%) achieved >90% complete response, >50-90% partial response, >10-50% minimal response, and <10% no response hair regrowth, respectively. Adverse effects included pruritus, erythema, vesiculation, scaling, cervical lymphadenopathy, dyspigmentation and urticarial reactions. Relapse occurred (>25% hair loss) in 69.23% of patients after 18 months of follow up.


CONCLUSIONS
DPCP is an effective and tolerable treatment for Chinese patients with extensive, steroid resistant AA.
Dermatology Research Centre, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Private Practice, Alliance Clinic, Kowloon, Hong Kong School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Monash University, Sunway campus, Malaysia School of Pharmacy, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, Faculty of Medicine, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Social Hygiene Service, Department of Health, Centre for Health Protection, Hong Kong.
N M
NM
Luk
L S
LS
Chiu
K C
KC
Lee
C T S
CT
Chau
V W Y
VW
Lee
M
M
Chang
Y K
YK
Lam
H C
HC
Lee
D000293:Adolescent; D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000328:Adult; D000506:Alopecia Areata / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002648:Child; D002681:China; D003521:Cyclopropanes / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011379:Prognosis; D055815:Young Adult
D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D003521:Cyclopropanes; C029402:diphenylcyclopropenone