Brazilian Experience of the Treatment of Alopecia Universalis with the Novel Antirheumatic Therapy Tofacitinib: A Case Series

INTRODUCTION: Alopecia universalis is an autoimmune disorder for which there is no known effective therapy. Tofacitinib-a novel antirheumatic therapy for rheumatoid arthritis-has been shown in some reports to induce sustained hair growth in patients with alopecia universalis. CASE SERIES: Here, we review the experiences of four different rheumatologists across the country regarding four Brazilian patients with alopecia universalis who were treated with tofacitinib . Two of these four patients had idiopathic alopecia and the other two had rheumatoid arthritis; in each case, the alopecia universalis was apparently induced by etanercept. CONCLUSION: Tofacitinib should be considered for the treatment of severe alopecia areata, but the optimal dose and duration of therapy should be defined in randomized controlled trials.