Some Patients With Alopecia Achieve Treatment Success After Switching JAKis

WEDNESDAY, Oct. 8, 2025 (HealthDay News) -- Successful treatment of alopecia areata (AA) is still possible with a Janus kinase inhibitor (JAKi) after failing other JAKis, according to a research letter published online Oct. 8 in JAMA Dermatology.Luiza Kalil, M.D., from the Yale School of Medicine in New Haven, Connecticut, and colleagues reviewed records for 13 patients with severe AA who did not respond to treatment with one or more JAKis (each JAKi for a minimum of six months) before responding (achieved Severity of Alopecia Tool score ≤20) to a different JAKi.The researchers found that successful treatment of AA with different JAKis was achieved after failure of one to three other JAKis. Eight patients started with tofacitinib, three with ritlecitinib, and two with baricitinib. Only one of the 13 had success on their second JAKi. Five patients switched to a fourth JAKi before responding (achieved Severity of Alopecia Tool score ≤20). JAKi switching occurred between six and eight months of treatment in seven instances, almost always due to worsening hair loss. Most patients (85 percent) had concomitant oral minoxidil use, and 23 percent received concomitant intralesional triamcinolone."Conclusions cannot be drawn regarding the frequency of treatment failure or success of the JAKis presented here," the authors write. "Ideally, clinicians would have familiarity with all JAKis."Several authors disclosed ties to the pharmaceutical industry.Abstract/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required).Sign up for our weekly HealthDay newsletter

Some Patients With Alopecia Achieve Treatment Success After Switching JAKis

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