Comparative Efficacy of Topical Calcipotriol, Intralesional Autologous Platelet-Rich Plasma Injection, and Combined Topical Calcipotriol with Intralesional Autologous Platelet-Rich Plasma Injection on Patients with Alopecia Areata

Abstract

Background: Alopecia areata (AA) is an autoimmune disease with various treatment modalities. It ranges in severity from patchy hair loss, which often resolves spontaneously, to severe, chronic cases that may result in complete loss of body and scalp hair. Objectives: The present study aimed to compare the effectiveness of topical calcipotriol, intralesional autologous platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injection, and a combination of topical calcipotriol with intralesional autologous PRP injection in patients with AA. Methods: In this randomized clinical trial, 78 patients with AA were divided into three groups. The first group received topical calcipotriol 0.005% twice daily for three months with follow-up. The second group underwent intralesional PRP injection for six consecutive sessions at two-week intervals. The third group received both treatments. Results: A substantial reduction in the average Severity of Alopecia Tool (SALT) score was observed in all three groups (P-value = 0.001) following treatment. The absolute reductions were 3.73 points in the calcipotriol group, 6.87 points in the PRP group, and 18.98 points in the combination group. The reduction was significant (P-value = 0.001), most pronounced in the combination group, followed by the PRP group, and then the calcipotriol group. A notable decline in dermoscopic results was observed post-treatment across all three groups. Conclusions: This study concluded that topical calcipotriol, intralesional autologous PRP injection, and their combination were significantly effective in reducing SALT scores in patients with AA. This reduction was most evident in the combination group, followed by the PRP group, and then the calcipotriol group.