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Combination diphenylcyclopropenone, anthralin effectively treats alopecia areata

Combination therapy of diphenylcyclopropenone and anthralin was superior to diphenylcyclopropenone monotherapy as treatment for chronic alopecia areata, according to recently published study results.

Researchers in Turkey conducted a retrospective analysis of diphenylcyclopropenone (DPCP)’s efficacy, side effects and relapse rates, as monotherapy or with anthralin, in the treatment of 47 patients with severe (>50% scalp hair loss) and/or treatment-resistant alopecia areata (AA) who had been followed-up for the prior 4 years. Twenty-two patients were treated with DPCP monotherapy and 25 patients received combination therapy with DPCP and anthralin for at least 30 weeks.

Complete hair growth occurred in eight patients (36.4%) treated with DPCP monotherapy and 18 patients (72%) treated with combination therapy.  According to the researchers, the combination therapy resulted in shorter duration of hair growth. Patients treated with the combination therapy also had higher regrowth rates of eyebrows, eyelashes and beard compared with patients treated with DPCP monotherapy.

All patients experienced side effects of localized pruritus, vesicles, bullae or a combination of these. The patients treated with combination therapy more frequently experienced side effects including folliculitis; hyperpigmentation; and staining of skin, hair and clothes compared with those treated with DPCP monotherapy, according to the researchers.

The researchers concluded that the combination therapy did not seem to have any effect on the rates of chronic extensive and/or treatment-resistant AA relapse.

Disclosures: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.