Effectiveness and Safety of Tofacitinib in Patients With Recalcitrant Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia : A Pilot Study

Effectiveness and Safety of Tofacitinib in Patients With Recalcitrant Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia : A Pilot Study

This study aims to determine the efficacy and safety of tofacitinib therapy in Thai patients with recalcitrant frontal fibrosing alopecia.

The main questions are

1. Does Tofacitinib significantly reduce Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia Severity Index (FFASI), Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia Severity Score (FFASS), Lichen Planopillaris Activity Index (LPPAI) compared to baseline and after 16 weeks?
2. Is Tofacitinib significantly different for adverse events compared to baseline and after 16 weeks? Participants will have a check-up in clinical and investigation and then get prescribed oral Tofacitinib 5 mg twice a day for 12 weeks. After that, they will have follow-up every 4 weeks until week 16.

1.The researcher collects personal data, including age, gender, weight, height, body mass index, waist circumference, personal medical history, history of medication use in the past 3 months (menstruation history for female subjects), and records of symptoms such as hair loss history and diagnosis, pattern of hair loss on the scalp or other areas, comorbidities, family history, and other accompanying symptoms.

2. The researchers require the patients to undergo various blood tests before treatment.

3. The researchers collect data on the patients' skin conditions using a Digital Camera and a Dermoscope. They capture images of the scalp, eyebrows, eyelashes, facial rashes, joint folds, arms, legs, nails, mouth, and dark spots (if present).

4. Participants in the research will receive oral Tofacitinib medication with a dosage of 5 mg twice a day for 12 weeks. They will be scheduled to come for follow-up every 4 weeks throughout the 12 weeks, and will continue to be followed up for 4 weeks after stopping the medication. The total duration of the research will be 16 weeks. The purpose is to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of the medication.

1. The disease symptoms to be assessed include facial papule, LP pigmentosus, pruritus, trichodynia, perifollicular erythema, and hyperkeratosis.
2. Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia Severity Index (FFASI)
3. Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia Severity Score (FFASS)
4. Lichen Planopillaris Activity Index (LPPAI)
5. The photograph will be taken. The areas photographed include the scalp, eyebrows, eyelashes, facial rashes, joint folds, arms, legs, nails, dark spots (if present), and mouth. Two expert physicians will evaluate the photographs independently. The photographs of 10 patients were assessed to determine the consistency among the physicians before evaluating the actual patients. The evaluation will determine whether the patient's conditions have improved, remained stable, or worsened.
6. Dermoscopy will be performed. The areas examined include the scalp, eyebrows, eyelashes, facial rashes, joint folds, arms, legs, nails, dark spots (if present), and mouth.
7. The patient's abnormal symptoms after medication administration will be evaluated, including respiratory tract infections, skin abnormalities, gastrointestinal abnormalities, urinary tract infections, or other symptoms.
8. Laboratory tests will be conducted at weeks 4, 12, and 16 to assess the medication's safety.

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Thai males or females who were at least 18 years old

2. Participants who were diagnosed with frontal fibrosing alopecia The criteria for the diagnosis of frontal fibrosis alopecia are 2 major criteria or 1 major criterion plus 2 minor criteria. (Vañó-Galván et al., 2014)

3. Participants who were diagnosed with recalcitrant frontal fibrosing alopecia

   • The patient who fails treatment of at least one drug, such as hydroxychloroquine, and/or receives others, such as immunosuppressive drugs, pioglitazone, and retinoids. However, the symptoms of FFA still appear, such as perifollicular erythematous and/or scale, after taking treatment for more than 3 months
   • The patient continued taking the medicine as prescribed and coming to follow-up
   • The patient still has the medical record, such as a picture and dermoscopy
   • The patient does not need a washout time from the current medicine

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Patients who were diagnosed with a disease that may relate to hair growth within six months, such as thyroid disease, iron deficiency anemia, liver disease, heart disease, neurological system disease, gastroenteritis disease, sexual disease, cancer, and psychologic disease
2. Pregnancy
3. Patients who have contraindications to take oral Tofacitinib such as severe infection, allergy to Tofacitinib, venous thromboembolism, leukopenia, severe liver disease, severe kidney failure, pneumonia, cancer
4. Patients who received strong or moderate to strong CYP3A4 agents
5. Patients who had positive on HBsAg and/or HCV