Comparison of effectiveness of topical tacrolimus and betamethasone with soft paraffin in the treatment of patchy alopecia areata

ABSTRACT

To compare the effectiveness of Topical Tacrolimus and Betamethasone with soft paraffin in the treatment of patchy alopecia areata. Sixty patients with mild to moderate patchy alopecia areata were evaluated in a non-randomized, open label, intention to treat clinical trial. Patients were assigned to Tacrolimus [n=20] or to Betamethasone [n=20] or to soft paraffin [n=20]. All the three groups were advised to apply the treatment on the affected areas twice a day for 12 consecutive weeks. The primary study outcome was to compare the hair regrowth rate. Efficacy was evaluated at weeks 4, 8 and 12, using hair regrowth score [RGS] with a scale ranging from 0 [regrowth<10%] to 4 [regrowth>75%]. Fifty six subjects [93%] completed the study. At week 12, the RGS was 3.5 +/- 0.11in Betamethasone group [p<0.001], 2.2 +/- 0.15 in Tacrolimus group [p<0.005] and 0.85 +/- 0.08 [ns] in control group respectively. RGS>3 was observed in 70% of patients in Betamethasone group as compared to 45% in Tacrolimus group and none of the patients in control group. Betamethasone is more effective than Tacrolimus in promoting hair regrowth as compared with soft paraffin in patients with mild to moderate patchy alopecia areata