ABSTRACT
Objective: Alopecia areata (AA) is a common form of potentially reversible non-scarring hair disorder characterized by limited patchy hair loss (alopecia areata), loss of all scalp hair (alopecia totalis), or all body hair (alopecia universalis). Several lines of treatment have been used with variable outcomes. We aimed to compare the efficacy of intralesional pentoxifylline (PTX) and triamcinolone acetonide (TRA) injection in the treatment of alopecia areata. Methods: Our study included 60 patients with localized AA recruited from the Dermatology Outpatient Clinics of Al-Azhar University Hospitals. Patients were divided into two groups of alopecia areata patches; Group A who received intralesional TRA injections while Group B received intralesional PTX. Results: The study showed that both modalities are effective in treating AA and each modality has its own advantages. According to the response, patients were grouped into three categories: partial response (0-33% terminal hair regrowth), moderate response (33-66% terminal hair regrowth), and high response (66-100% terminal hair regrowth). The high response after use of the PTX was found in 50 percent of patients. The high response was observed in 46.6 percent of patients treated with TRA. Limitations: Small sample size and short follow-up period. Conclusion: This study showed that intralesional injection of PTX seems to be effective and safe treatment for localized AA and could be used as a good alternative to triamcinolone acetonide.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Vitiligo is an immune-mediated skin disorder that targets epidermal melanocytes leading to the appearance of depigmented skin patches. Different treatment modalities have been reported with varied efficacy. We tried to evaluate the safety and efficacy of intralesional methotrexate in treating localized areas of vitiligo. METHODS: Thirty participants with localized patches of vitiligo were recruited. They were treated with intralesional injections of methotrexate every 2 weeks for a maximum of six sessions. At the end of the study, the degree of repigmentation was categorized into: excellent improvement (>75% repigmentation), good improvement (50%-75% repigmentation), fair improvement (25%-50% repigmentation) and poor improvement (<25% repigmentation). RESULTS: We included 7 males (23.3%) and 23 females (76.7%). Their mean age was 33.6 ± 8.6 years. The duration of the disease ranged from 1 to 22 years. Four patients had a family history of vitiligo. At the end of the study, there was a highly statistically significant improvement (p < 0.001) after treatment regarding repigmentation. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that intralesional methotrexate is a safe and effective treatment option for patients with localized vitiligo lesions. Further studies on a larger scale are needed to evaluate the long-term effects of treatment and detect the ideal dose to be injected.