Effectiveness of dutasteride in a large series of patients with frontal fibrosing alopecia in real clinical practice.

BACKGROUND: Dutasteride has been proposed as an effective therapy for frontal fibrosing alopecia (FFA). OBJECTIVES: We sought to describe the therapeutic response to dutasteride and the most effective dosage in FFA compared with other therapeutic options or no treatment. METHODS: This was a retrospective observational study including patients with FFA with a minimum follow-up of 12 months. Therapeutic response was evaluated according to the stabilization of the hairline recession. RESULTS: A total of 224 patients (222 females) with a median follow-up of 24 months (range 12-108 months) were included. The stabilization rate for the frontal, right, and left temporal regions after 12 months was 62%, 64%, and 62% in the dutasteride group (n = 148), 60%, 35%, and 35% with other systemic therapies (n = 20), and 30%, 41%, and 38% without systemic treatment (n = 56; P = .000, .006, and .006, respectively). Stabilization showed a statistically significant association with an increasing dose of dutasteride (88%, 91%, and 84% with a weekly treatment of 5 or 7 doses of 0.5 mg [n = 32], P < .005). Dutasteride was well tolerated in all patients. LIMITATIONS: Limitations included the observational and retrospective design. CONCLUSIONS: Oral dutasteride was the most effective therapy with a dose-dependent response for FFA in real clinical practice compared with other systemic therapies or no systemic treatment.

Folliculitis decalvans: Effectiveness of therapies and prognostic factors in a multicenter series of 60 patients with long-term follow-up.

BACKGROUND: Folliculitis decalvans (FD) is a rare neutrophilic cicatricial alopecia that poses a therapeutic challenge. OBJECTIVES: To describe the therapeutic response in a large number of cases of FD with long-term follow-up and analyze potential prognostic factors associated with severity of form and with a better therapeutic response. METHODS: This multicenter prospective study included patients with FD who had a minimum of 5 years of follow-up. Severity was assessed by the maximum diameter of the cicatricial area. Therapeutic response was evaluated according to stabilization of the size of the cicatricial areas and the improvement in clinical symptoms. RESULTS: A total of 60 patients (37 men [61.7%] and 23 women [38.3%]) with a mean age of 40 years were included. Earlier age of onset (P = .01) was statistically associated with severity of form. Treatment with rifampicin and clindamycin, tetracyclines, and intralesional steroids was the most effective. No statistically significant prognostic factors predicting a better therapeutic response were found. LIMITATIONS: Because FD is a rare disease, the main limitation was the sample size. CONCLUSIONS: An earlier age of onset was associated with the severe form of the disease. The proposed specific therapeutic protocol can be a very useful tool in clinical dermatologic practice.

Frontal fibrosing alopecia: a multicenter review of 355 patients.

BACKGROUND: To our knowledge, there are no large multicenter studies concerning frontal fibrosing alopecia (FFA) that could give clues about its pathogenesis and best treatment. OBJECTIVE: We sought to describe the epidemiology, comorbidities, clinical presentation, diagnostic findings, and therapeutic choices in a large series of patients with FFA. METHODS: This retrospective multicenter study included patients given the diagnosis of FFA. Clinical severity was classified based on the recession of the frontotemporal hairline. RESULTS: In all, 355 patients (343 women [49 premenopausal] and 12 men) with a mean age of 61 years (range 23-86) were included. Early menopause was detected in 49 patients (14%), whereas 46 (13%) had undergone hysterectomy. Severe FFA was observed in 131 patients (37%). Independent factors associated with severe FFA after multivariate analysis were: eyelash loss, facial papules, and body hair involvement. Eyebrow loss as the initial clinical presentation was associated with mild forms. Antiandrogens such as finasteride and dutasteride were used in 111 patients (31%), with improvement in 52 (47%) and stabilization in 59 (53%). LIMITATIONS: The retrospective design is a limitation. CONCLUSIONS: Eyelash loss, facial papules, and body hair involvement were associated with severe FFA. Antiandrogens were the most useful treatment.