The Efficacy and Safety of Baricitinib in the Treatment of Alopecia Areata

Introduction: Alopecia Areata (AA) is an autoimmune disorder that causes inflammatory circular, coin-shaped patches of hair loss on the scalp and other body parts. Baricitinib, a Janus Kinase (JAK) inhibitor, is a new medication approved for the treatment of AA. This review paper evaluates the effectiveness and safety of baricitinib in treating hair loss in patients with alopecia areata compared to no intervention. Methods: The efficacy and safety of baricitinib in treating AA patients were evaluated by utilizing five (5) clinical articles, including randomized controlled trials, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses, sourced from PubMed. Results: Baricitinib JAK inhibitor was shown to be safe and effective in treating AA when administrated orally at doses of 2 mg and 4 mg for continuous treatment. Some side effects were reported, including but not limited to headache, upper respiratory infection, and hyperlipidemia. At 52 weeks of therapy in the BRAVE-AA1 and BRAVE-AA2 studies, SALT scores of ≤ 20% scalp hair loss were achieved in patients with ≥ 50% scalp hair loss at baseline. Discontinuation of baricitinib treatment is associated with a high recurrence rate of 82.7%, indicating that it may require lifelong treatment. Discussion: Baricitinib is determined to be an effective, safe, and superior treatment for patients with AA compared to no intervention. More research is needed to establish the maximum tolerated and therapeutic doses of baricitinib for treating AA, particularly by observing its long-term use and potential side effects.