Ixekizumab-induced alopecia areata

Abstract

Alopecia areata (AA) is characterized by autoimmune destruction of hair follicles. Psoriasis, another autoimmune inflammatory condition, has been linked with AA. Patients with AA are 2.8 times more likely to have psoriasis than the general population (for comparison, the odds ratios for vitiligo and thyroid disease are 5.2 and 1.9, respectively).1 AA has additionally been linked with the use of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α inhibitors2 but has not been well established as a side effect of the other biologics commonly used in psoriasis.