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Case Reports
. 2016 Oct 4;8(3):262-266.
doi: 10.1159/000450848. eCollection 2016 Sep-Dec.

Remarkable Improvement of Nail Changes in Alopecia Areata Universalis with 10 Months of Treatment with Tofacitinib: A Case Report

Sineida Berbert Ferreira  1 , Morton Scheinberg  2 , Denise Steiner  3 , Tatiana Steiner  3 , Gustavo Longhi Bedin  3 , Rachel Berbert Ferreira  4
Affiliations
Case Reports

Remarkable Improvement of Nail Changes in Alopecia Areata Universalis with 10 Months of Treatment with Tofacitinib: A Case Report

Sineida Berbert Ferreira et al. Case Rep Dermatol. .

Abstract

Alopecia areata (AA) is a chronic, autoimmune disease. The main symptom is massive hair loss, localized or diffuse, in the scalp and the whole body. However, nails may also be involved, and brittleness, fragility and pitting can be signs of nail dystrophy in AA patients. Here, we report the case of a male patient with AA refractory to various treatments, including oral, topical and intralesional corticosteroids, immunosuppressants, cyclosporin and PUVA (oxoralen plus ultraviolet light), all interrupted due to side effects. The patient's nails had erythematous blotches (striated lunulae) with regular and superficial pitting as well as fragility (trachyonychia), and he could no longer play the guitar because of these symptoms. With patient consent, we introduced tofacitinib (5 mg twice daily), which resulted in remarkable improvements not only regarding hair regrowth but also nail changes, with function recovery within 10 months.

Keywords: Alopecia areata; Nails; Tofacitinib.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose.

Figures

Fig. 1.
Fig. 1.
a–d Fingernails of a patient with AA universalis before treatment.
Fig. 2.
Fig. 2.
a–g Fingernails of a patient with AA universalis after 4 months of treatment with tofacitinib.
Fig. 3.
Fig. 3.
a–d Fingernails of a patient with AA universalis after 9 months of treatment with tofacitinib.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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