CASE REPORT - Hair loss in RA patient using Enbrel

[Guest guest]

Arch Dermatol. 2005 Jun;141(6):759-60.

Recurrence of alopecia areata in a patient receiving etanercept injections.

Posten W, Swan J.

Department of Dermatology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern

University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA.

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Alopecia areata is a common condition of patchy hair loss

that has been postulated to have an autoimmune pathogenesis involving

inflammatory cytokines, including tumor necrosis factor (TNF) alpha.

Etanercept is a novel medication that blocks TNF-alpha-mediated

processes. We report a case involving the recurrence of alopecia

areata in a patient receiving etanercept.

OBSERVATIONS: We describe a 49-year-old man with a history of

rheumatoid arthritis and alopecia areata who developed a recurrence of

his alopecia areata while being treated with etanercept for more than

2 years.

CONCLUSIONS: The anti-TNF-alpha effect of etanercept therapy may not

be sufficient to prevent the recurrence of alopecia areata. The

possible role of TNF-alpha in the pathogenesis of alopecia areata may

be called into question if our observation is repeated.

PMID: 1596792

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15967923

Not an MD