Pulse corticosteroid therapy for alopecia areata: long-term outcome after 10 years.

BACKGROUND

Few data are available concerning the efficiency of pulse corticosteroids in alopecia areata (AA).

OBJECTIVE

Our purpose was to assess the long-term outcomes of patients treated with methylprednisolone bolus.

METHODS

This study included 60 patients treated between 1995 and 2000. The short-term outcomes were analyzed in 2000. The long-term assessment of 30 patients was performed in 2010 by phone questionnaire.

RESULTS

Significant hair regrowth was observed in 10/30 patients at 6 months after the bolus treatment. Half of the plurifocalis AA patients were responders at 6 months, but less than one quarter of alopecia totalis (AT) and alopecia universalis (AU) patients responded. Long-term outcomes were assessed after a mean duration of 12.3 years; 8/10 initial responders had mild or no disease, and 14/20 initial nonresponders had severe AA.

CONCLUSIONS

This study confirmed the low efficiency, both short- and long-term, of this treatment for AT and AU.