Comparative study of intralesional steroid injection and cryotherapy in alopecia areata

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Alopecia areata (AA) is a common, non-scarring type of hair loss, affecting approximately 2.1% of the population, many modality of treatment recommended like steroid injection, topical Immunotherapy and several systemic therapies. The aim of this study was to compare intralesional steroid injection and cryotherapyoutcomes in AA. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In an analytical-descriptive study, 120 AA patients treated with intralesionalsteroid injection and 120 AA patients treated with cryotherapy were randomly selected. These two groups matched for location, duration and size of lesion and also matched for age and gender. From March 2011 to September 2013, the effect and complications of the therapies after 3, 6, 9 and 12 weeks were assessed and results were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: Mean age of patients in steroid injection group was 30.2 ± 6.8 and in cryotherapy group was 31.8 ± 7.1. Sexual distribution in both groups was 56.7% and 43.3 % for male and female, respectively. Location of disease in 80% was in scalp and 20% was in face in both groups. The time of beginning response in steroid group was 4.13 ± 2.13 weeks and in cryotherapy group was 6.14 ± 0.29 weeks, difference between two groups was significant (P = 0.001). In term of clinical response at the end of study, in steroid group,20 patients (16.7%) no response, 32 patients (26.7%), moderate response and68 patients (56.7%) had a complete response, and also in cryotherapy group was, 52 patients (43.3%) no response, 40 patients (33.3%) moderate response and 28 patients (23.3%) had a complete response. There was significant different in complete response rate and steroid injection was more effective than cryotherapy(P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: As the cryotherapy isa considerable treatment of AA, alsothis study proposes intralesional injection of corticosteroid, as a replacement of AA therapy; particularly the short-term complications are not significantly different.