Pediatric Game Changers∗: Oral tofacitinib for the treatment of alopecia areata in children

Abstract

Capsule summary:•These 2 case series described the use of oral tofacitinib to treat severe alopecia areata (AA) in children aged 4-10 years.•Doses ranged from 2.5 mg daily in patients aged 4-5 years to 5 mg twice daily in patients aged 8-10 years.1,2•Of the 7 patients described, 6 achieved at least 50% improvement after 3- 21 months of treatment.1,2 Side effects included diarrhea (2 patients) and upper respiratory infection (1 patient), which resolved despite continuous therapy.2How did this article change the practice of dermatology?•Oral tofacitinib may be considered a treatment option for preadolescent children with severe AA resulting in psychosocial impairment, with appropriate counseling on potential adverse effects, such as infections and malignancies.•These results are promising as extensive AA in children may have a profound negative impact on the quality of life and treatments have been limited thus far.