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Objective outcome measures: Collecting meaningful data on alopecia areata
Elise A Olsen1, Janet Roberts2, Leonard Sperling3
1Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina.
Background:
Although alopecia areata is a common disorder, it has no US Food and Drug Administration-approved treatment and evidence-based therapeutic data are lacking.
Objective:
To develop guidelines for the diagnosis, evaluation, assessment, response criteria, and end points for alopecia areata.
Methods:
Literature review and expert opinion of a group of dermatologists specializing in hair disorders.
Results:
Standardized methods of assessing and tracking hair loss and growth, including new scoring techniques, response criteria, and end points in alopecia areata are presented.
Limitations:
The additional time to perform the assessments is the primary limitation to use of the methodology in clinical practice.
Conclusion:
Use of these measures will facilitate collection of standardized outcome data on therapeutic agents used in alopecia areata both in clinical practice and in clinical trials.