TOPICAL USE OF CALCIPOTRIOL DOES NOT POTENTIATE SQUARIC ACID DIBUTYLESTER EFFECTIVENESS IN THE TREATMENT OF ALOPECIA-AREATA

As calcipotriol has been reported to increase mitotic activity, to hav e a role in regulating immune response and to increase the contact hyp ersensitivity response when applied topically at the elicitation site we sought to determine whether topical calcipotriol is able to potenti ate the response to squaric acid dibutylester (SADBE) in severe alopec ia areata. A group of 28 subjects with severe alopecia areata were sen sitized with a 2% SADBE solution applied to the vertex. After 2 weeks and then weekly, a 0.001% SADBE solution was applied to the whole scal p. Every day, except the day of SADBE application, an ointment contain ing 50 mu g/g calcipotriol was applied to the left side of the scalp. Treatment with calcipotriol and SADBE did not significantly potentiate hair growth (P = 0.133). This study suggests that calcipotriol has an inhibiting action on cell multiplication.