Efficacy of topical tacrolimus 0.1% and clobetasol propionate 0.05% in the treatment of alopecia areata

Objective to assess the efficacy of tacrolimus and clobetasol propionate in the treatment of alopecia areata. methods a clinical trial was carried out in the department of dermatology and venereology,dhaka medical college hospital,dhaka,bangladesh from may 2013 to april 2014. total sixty patients were enrolled and divided into group a and group b. thirty of group a patients were treated with topical tacrolimus and thirty of group b patients were treated with topical clobetasol propionate. results in group a,the duration of illness ranged from 2 months to 36 months and in group b,from 1 month to 24 months. among the patients of group a and b,25 (83.3%) and 27 (90%) patients improved,respectively. after 16th week of treatment,slight response in 6 (20%) and 4 (13.3%) and moderate response in 18 (59.4%) and 22 (63.2%) and marked response in 1 (3.3%) and 1 (3.3%) was seen in group a and group b,respectively. no significant difference was observed (p value = 0.648). conclusion both the drugs,clobetasol propionate and tacrolimus when used individually,were found to be equally effective in the treatment of alopecia areata and tacrolimus ointment 0.1% can be used as an alternate therapeutic modality.