Intralesional Steroids in the Treatment of Alopecia Areata

Columbia University

Status and phase: Terminated; Phase 4

Conditions: Alopecia Areata

Treatments: Drug: Intralesional Saline; Drug: Intralesional Triamcinolone 2.5 mg/ml; Drug: Intralesional Triamcinolone 10 mg/ml; Drug: Intralesional Triamcinolone 5 mg/ml

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT01898806

AAAI5852

Details and patient eligibility

About

This study aims to determine the frequency of response to treatment with 3 concentrations of IL TAC, 2.5mg/ml, 5mg/ml or 10mg/ml as well as the duration of response and incidence of side effects compared to treatment with placebo (sterile saline solution). After the 1st 6 months, nonresponders or partial responders may be treated for 6 months with open label triamcinolone at the dose deemed appropriate by the investigator.

The investigators will also perform skin biopsies of the scalp and draw blood at selected time points in order to examine the immunohistochemical/pathological response in scalp hair follicles and the systemic circulation to treatment with IL TAC for alopecia areata.

Full description

Alopecia areata (AA) is a major medical problem and is the most prevalent autoimmune disease in the US. AA represents the second most common form of hair loss and causes significant disfigurement and psychological distress to affected individuals. AA affects more individuals than most other autoimmune diseases combined, including lupus erythematosus, type 1 diabetes, psoriasis, multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis. In contrast to these conditions, research into the pathogenesis and the development of innovative therapies in AA has lagged behind.

Alopecia areata is a common form of hair loss which reportedly occurs in up to 1.7% of the population at some time in their life. Alopecia areata is apparently triggered when the individual's own immune system attacks hair follicles on the scalp or body resulting in hair loss ranging from single patches on the scalp (patch type alopecia areata) to loss of every hair on the scalp and body (alopecia universalis). Currently, there are limited treatment options for alopecia areata and unfortunately, the treatments utilized have never been rigorously tested in a placebo controlled trial.

Triamcinolone (Kenalog) is a steroid solution that has been used as a treatment for alopecia areata for over 50 years. It is administered via injection into the scalp and appears to have some efficacy for patients with mild to moderate alopecia areata. The investigators currently do not have objective data on the frequency of occurrence of successful regrowth, the duration of response or the incidence of side effects. Intralesional triamcinolone (IL TAC) is arguably the most commonly used treatments for AA, especially in patients with less than 50% hair loss. Despite this, there are no adequately powered, randomized controlled clinical trials (RCTs) examining the efficacy, safety, and duration of effect of IL TAC. In addition, the dosage or strength used varies among practitioners and the efficacy and safety of alternate doses of IL TAC has never been examined in a well designed RCT. Quantitative biomarkers for AA are a crucial step toward translational research aimed at clinical trials in AA.

Enrollment: 11 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 75 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Patients 18 to 75 years of age
• Patients with a diagnosis of patch type alopecia areata
• Patients will have up to 50% total scalp hair loss at baseline as measured by the Severity of Alopecia Tool (SALT) score
• Duration of hair loss ranging from 3 to 12 months with no evidence of regrowth present at baseline in the areas to be injected

Exclusion criteria

• Patients with a history of or existing skin diseases affecting the scalp such as psoriasis or seborrheic dermatitis and patients with evidence of infection or skin cancer in the treated areas
• Patients in whom the diagnosis of alopecia areata is questionable
• Patients in whom regrowth is present/evident at baseline in the areas to be treated
• Patients with active medical conditions or malignancies (except adequately treated basal or squamous cell carcinoma of the skin) which in the opinion of the investigator would increase the risks associated with study participation, including patients with a history of recurrent infections
• Women of childbearing potential who are unable or unwilling to use two forms of birth control for the study duration or women who are pregnant or nursing
• Patients known to be HIV or hepatitis B or C positive or otherwise immunocompromised
• Patients with evidence of adrenal cortex abnormality or previous significant adverse reaction to intralesional steroids
• Patients unwilling or unable to discontinue treatments known to affect hair regrowth in alopecia areata
• Patients who have been treated with intralesional steroids, systemic steroids, anthralin, squaric acid, diphenylcyclopropenone (DPCP), protopic, minoxidil or other medication which in the opinion of the investigator may affect hair regrowth, within one month of the baseline visit

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Double Blind

---

11 participants in 4 patient groups, including a placebo group

IL TAC 2.5 mg/ml

Experimental group

Description:

Intralesional Triamcinolone 2.5 mg/ml (IL TAC 2.5 mg/ml): Patients will receive intradermal injection of study medication once per month to all, or as many as possible, areas of hair loss up to the maximum dose of 30 mg IL TAC per month, for a total of 6 months. Injections will be performed at baseline, weeks 4, 8, 12, 16 and 20

Treatment:

Drug: Intralesional Triamcinolone 2.5 mg/ml

IL TAC 5 mg/ml

Experimental group

Description:

Intralesional Triamcinolone 5mg/ml (IL TAC 5 mg/ml): Patients will receive intradermal injection of study medication once per month to all, or as many as possible, areas of hair loss up to the maximum dose of 30 mg IL TAC per month, for a total of 6 months. Injections will be performed at baseline, weeks 4, 8, 12, 16 and 20.

Treatment:

Drug: Intralesional Triamcinolone 5 mg/ml

IL TAC 10 mg/ml

Experimental group

Description:

Intralesional Triamcinolone 10mg/ml (IL TAC 10 mg/ml): Patients will receive intradermal injection of study medication once per month to all, or as many as possible, areas of hair loss up to the maximum dose of 30 mg IL TAC per month, for a total of 6 months. Injections will be performed at baseline, weeks 4, 8, 12, 16 and 20.

Treatment:

Drug: Intralesional Triamcinolone 10 mg/ml

Placebo

Placebo Comparator group

Description:

Intralesional Saline (Placebo): Patients will receive intradermal injection of study medication once per month to all, or as many as possible, areas of hair loss for a total of 6 months. Injections will be performed at baseline, weeks 4, 8, 12, 16 and 20. Open label treatment with IL kenalog at the dose deemed most appropriate may be administered after the 1st 6 months in nonresponders or partial responders.

Treatment:

Drug: Intralesional Saline