{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,31]],"date-time":"2026-08-31T23:42:19Z","timestamp":1788219739829,"version":"build-2803163510"},"reference-count":36,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"6","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,3,8]],"date-time":"2025-03-08T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1741392000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["JCM"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background: Alopecia areata (AA) typically presents as round patches of hair loss (e.g., scalp, eyebrow\/eyelash, and body), has an unpredictable disease course, and may relapse and remit. AA is a condition with a lifetime risk of approximately 2% in the global population with an annual incidence rate ranging from 2.53 to 26 per 100,000. This comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis was performed to determine the safety and efficacy of Ritlecitinib in patients with AA. Methods: A systematic search was conducted in PubMed and Cochrane CENTRAL Library for randomized controlled trials (RCTs). We used mean difference with 95% confidence intervals to assess the effectiveness and odds ratio to assess the safety profile. A total of 65 publications were identified through a database search. Following two stages of screening, we included 13 publications. All the studies were parallel and double-blind RCTs and published between 2020 and 2022. Results: Our analysis revealed a significant reduction in SALT score at week 12 and week 24 of (\u221217.43 [\u221224.67 to \u221210.20]; p &lt; 0.0001) and (\u221220.95 [\u221229.01 to \u221212.89]; p &lt; 0.0001), respectively, in patients treated with Ritlecitinib compared to placebo. Furthermore, a significant improvement in PGIC score at week 24 was observed. Additionally, Ritlecitinib revealed a slightly higher reduction in AASIS score compared to placebo; however, this difference was statistically non-significant. Notably, the Ritlecitinib group experienced a higher frequency of headaches, acne and nasopharyngitis compared to placebo, while the placebo group reported a greater occurrence of serious adverse events compared to the Ritlecitinib group. This higher rate of serious events in the placebo arm could be explained by the placebo effect, although these differences were statistically non-significant. Conclusions: These findings suggest that Ritlecitinib holds promise as an effective treatment for AA with an acceptable safety profile, warranting further investigation in larger cohorts and long-term studies.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/jcm14061817","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,3,10]],"date-time":"2025-03-10T05:46:52Z","timestamp":1741585612000},"page":"1817","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":5,"title":["Safety and Efficacy of Ritlecitinib for the Treatment of Patients with Alopecia Areata: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Controlled Trials"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"14","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0005-6649-6285","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Samah Omar Ali","family":"Alfahl","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Family & Community Medicine, Taibah University, Janadah Bin Umayyah Road, Madinah 42353, Saudi Arabia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Abdullateef","family":"Alzolibani","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Dermatology, College of Medicine, Qassim University, P.O. Box 30109, Buraidah 51477, Saudi Arabia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,3,8]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","first-page":"725","article-title":"A practical approach to the treatment of alopecia areata","volume":"13","author":"Dhurat","year":"2022","journal-title":"Indian Dermatol. Online J."},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e14916","DOI":"10.1111\/dth.14916","article-title":"Treatments for alopecia areata: A systematic review and network meta-analysis","volume":"34","author":"Fukumoto","year":"2021","journal-title":"Dermatol. Ther."},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"443","DOI":"10.1007\/s40257-023-00764-w","article-title":"Efficacy and safety of baricitinib in patients with severe alopecia areata over 52 weeks of continuous therapy in two phase III trials (BRAVE-AA1 and BRAVE-AA2)","volume":"24","author":"Kwon","year":"2023","journal-title":"Am. J. Clin. 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