Randomized Controlled Trial Study to Evaluate the Efficacy of Combination Therapy with Diphenylcyclopropenone and Platelet-Rich Plasmain Alopecia Areaata.

INTRODUCTION: Diphenylcyclopropenone (DPCP) is an effective treatment in severe alopecia areata (AA). Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) has been introduced as an effective modality in AA. We present the first study to evaluate and compare the efficacy and tolerability of DPCP alone and DPCP in combination with PRP in the treatment of severe AA.

METHODS: This is a comparative, randomized, double-blind study that included 14 patients with severe AA. Participants received weekly DPCP plus monthly PRP to treat alopecia patches on one side of their scalp (group 1) and DPCP plus placebo on the other side (group 2). Patient's response was evaluated with the severity of alopecia tool (SALT) score and trichoscopy scores. PRP was injected for 3 times and patients were followed for 6 months.

RESULTS: Among enrolled patients, 7 (50%) experienced a hair regrowth >50%. The mean SALT score and trichoscopy scaled scores decreased over time for both the groups. Nevertheless, there were no significant differences between groups. The side effect was not noticeable in either group.

CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study to investigate a synergistic effect with DPCP and PRP. According to this study, PRP is ineffective as an adjunct to DPCP for augmenting its effectiveness.