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Shedding light on therapeutics in alopecia and their relevance to COVID-19
Nicole Fagan1, Nekma Meah2, Katherine York3
1School of Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.
Insights
Patients with alopecia taking certain medications may face different COVID-19 outcomes. Patient registries are crucial for understanding how treatments like hydroxychloroquine and corticosteroids impact severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infections.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Virology
- Dermatology
Background:
- The COVID-19 pandemic, caused by SARS-CoV-2, has led to millions of deaths globally, overwhelming healthcare systems.
- Patients with alopecia are often treated with various medications, including antimicrobials, antiandrogens, hydroxychloroquine, corticosteroids, and immunosuppressants.
- The potential impact of these common alopecia treatments on COVID-19 outcomes requires urgent investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the potential effects of medications commonly prescribed for alopecia on COVID-19 outcomes.
- To highlight the importance of patient registries in gathering real-world evidence on SARS-CoV-2 infection in this patient group.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on SARS-CoV-2 and treatments for alopecia.
- Emphasis on the role of patient registries for data collection and analysis.
Main Results:
- Specific medications used in alopecia treatment are under scrutiny for their potential to influence SARS-CoV-2 infection severity and outcomes.
- Real-world data is essential to understand these interactions.
Conclusions:
- Patient registries are critical for generating real-world evidence to assess the impact of alopecia treatments on COVID-19 outcomes.
- Further research is needed to guide clinical practice and patient management during the pandemic.
Abstract:
As of July 9, 2020, there were more than 12 million confirmed cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) across the globe, with more than 550,000 deaths. Many European countries, including Belgium, the United Kingdom, Italy, and Spain, have had the highest numbers of fatalities per capita. This indicates the potential for the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) virus to overwhelm even the most advanced health care systems despite extreme societal interventions. Since its emergence, SARS-CoV-2 has disseminated across the globe, affecting the structure of global societies, infrastructure, and economies. Patients with alopecia are a diverse group who, for various indications, are prescribed a number of antimicrobials and antiandrogen treatments in addition to immunomodulatory therapies such as hydroxychloroquine, oral corticosteroids, and a range of broad immunosuppressants. These drugs are being scrutinized for their capacity to potentially affect SARS-CoV-2 outcomes. We examine these treatments and highlight the critical role that patient registries will play in generating real-world evidence to assess their impact on COVID-19 outcomes.
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