Treatment of moderate-to-severe alopecia areata in patients over the age of 65 years with baricitinib.

Baricitinib is a Janus kinase inhibitor that has been approved by the US Food and Drugs Administration for the treatment of severe alopecia areata (AA) in adults. However, the clinical trials that demonstrated the efficacy of baricitinib in the treatment of severe AA did not include men aged > 60 years or women aged > 70 years. We retrospectively assessed the efficacy and safety of baricitinib in 14 patients aged ≥ 65 years with moderate-to-severe AA.

Treatment of alopecia areata: An Australian expert consensus statement.

Alopecia areata (AA) severity varies from a single small patch to complete loss of scalp hair, body hair, eyelashes and eyebrows. While 40% of all affected individuals only ever get one patch and will achieve a spontaneous complete durable remission within 6 months, 27% will develop additional patches but still achieve complete durable remission within 12 months and 33% will develop chronic AA. Without systemic treatment, 55% of individuals with chronic AA will have persistent multifocal relapsing and remitting disease, 30% will ultimately develop alopecia totalis and 15% will develop alopecia universalis.

Tropical and exotic dermatoses and ulcers.

Background: Tropical dermatoses and ulcers, although essentially unique to tropical and subtropical areas, are occasionally seen in Australian general practice on returning travellers and migrants from endemic countries.

Objective: This article will discuss important causes of tropical and exotic ulcers occasionally seen in Australia.

Discussion: As tropical ulcers may mimic many other causes of skin ulceration and nodules, a history of recent travel should arouse clinical suspicion.

Use of spironolactone in dermatology.

Spironolactone has been used as a potassium-sparing diuretic for more than 30 years. It is a synthetic 17-lactone steroid and primarily acts as an aldosterone antagonist. Since the accidental discovery of its antiandrogenic effects, it has been used in the treatment of many dermatologic conditions in which androgen plays a role in the pathogenesis.

Co-infection of mucosal leishmaniasis and extra pulmonary tuberculosis in a patient with inherent immune deficiency.

Background: In Sri Lanka, cutaneous leishmaniasis is a well-established disease caused by Leishmania donovani. Only a few cases of visceral disease and mucosal localization have been reported to date.

Case Report: A 52-year-old man presented with severe local destruction of his upper and lower lip and total destruction of the anterior nasal septum and was diagnosed with mucosal leishmaniasis.

Innovative use of spironolactone as an antiandrogen in the treatment of female pattern hair loss.

Patterned hair loss in men and women, although medically benign, is a common, albeit unwelcome, event that may cause considerable anxiety and concern. Patterned hair loss is progressive and when untreated leads to baldness. The prevalence and severity of this physiologic process both increase with advancing age.

Male androgenetic alopecia.

Importance Of The Field: Androgenetic alopecia affects up to 80% of males by the age of 80. The synonym 'male-pattern hair loss' highlights the fact that hair loss occurs in a defined and reproducible pattern. Hair loss results in reduced self esteem, loss of confidence and anxiety in affected men.