Comparative study between intralesional injection of prostaglandin F2α alone or combined with corticosteroids in the treatment of alopecia areata

Abstract

Background Alopecia areata (AA) is an autoimmune disorder causing hair loss, yet its treatment remains challenging due to limited Food and Drug Administration approved therapies. Prostaglandin F2α (PGF2α) has emerged as a potential therapy. Objective To assess the efficacy of PGF2α intralesional injection in AA treatment. Patients and methods This case comparative work was performed on 75 localized AA patients who were split into three groups receiving different intralesional injections: group A received triamcinolone acetonide (TRA), group B received a combination of TRA and latanoprost (a PGF2α analog), and group C received latanoprost alone. Treatment response was assessed using the Severity of Alopecia Tool score, Severity of Alopecia Tool II, and Alopecia Areata Severity Index. Results High treatment response was observed in 76% of group B, compared to 64% in group A and 40% in group C. Group B showed the most significant reduction in severity score (median=0), followed by group A (median=1), and group C (median=3). Multivariate analysis identified group B as a significant predictor of a high treatment response (odds ratio=10.292, 95% confidence interval=1.904–55.632, P=0.007). Conclusion Intralesional injection of TRA and latanoprost (PGF2α analog) demonstrated superior efficacy in treating localized AA compared to other treatment modalities.