Intravenous Dexamethasone Pulse Therapy For Extensive Alopecia Areata

• Main Author: Thappa Devinder Mohan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 1999-01-01
• Series: Indian Journal of Dermatology
• Online Access: http://www.e-ijd.org/article.asp?issn=0019-5154;year=1999;volume=44;issue=4;spage=187;epage=190;aulast=Thappa;type=0

Patient with extensive alopecia areata (>30% scalp involvement) were given 32mg of dexamethasone in 200 ml of 5% dextrose intravenously on three consecutive days (total 96mg) every four weeks. Response was quantified as 1 to 25%, 25% to 50%, 50 to 75% and 75 to 100% of terminal hair growth by mapping and serial photographs. They were examined monthly for side effects of steroids. Six patients (5 male and 1 female) with a mean age of 32 years were recruited. They had alopecia areata for a period ranging from 3 months to 2.5 years. All the six cases did not show further worsening of alopecia after 3 pulses. However, two of them showed less than 25% hair growth after 4 pulses and did not turn up for follow up. In 2 cases, 25 to 50% growth was observed an 50 to 75% growth was seen in 2 patients (one of them with ophiasic pattern) after 6 pulses. The results were cosmetically acceptable for three of them. No adverse effect to steroids was encountered and the patients are still under follow up. The preliminary results show that dexamethasone pulse therapy is safe and effective for extensive alopecia areata.