Recurrent and universal alopecia areata following alemtuzumab treatment in multiple sclerosis: A secondary autoimmune disease

Associations between alopecia areata and multiple sclerosis: a report of two cases and review of the literature

“…Interestingly, AA has been recently hypothesized as a possible side effect of anti‐CD52 monoclonal antibody alemtuzumab, which is used for treatment of relapsing–remitting MS . In fact, AA had been reported during alemtuzumab therapy in five patients.…”

“…In the literature, only a few cases of association between AA and MS are reported. 3,4 Tada et al 3 Interestingly, AA has been recently hypothesized as a possible side effect of anti-CD52 monoclonal antibody alemtuzumab, which is used for treatment of relapsing-remitting MS. [5][6][7][8] In fact, AA had been reported during alemtuzumab therapy in five patients. The possible mechanism of secondary AA is a drug-induced selective lymphopenia, sparing self-antigen responsive T cells and autoimmune B cells, which could be the possible responsible cells of AA.…”

Ocrelizumab-induced alopecia areata—A series of five patients from Ontario, Canada: A case report

“…18 In fact, no autoimmune diseases have been reported as adverse effects of ocrelizumab. 6,7,18,19 AA has been reported as a side effect of other disease-modifying treatments, including teriflunomide, mitoxantrone, alemtuzumab, and daclizumab, 9–13 which are also used in the treatment of RRMS. However, to our knowledge, there have been no reports documenting the occurrence of AA following treatment with ocrelizumab in the management of MS or other diseases as of yet.…”

“…8 Alopecia is a known side effect of immunomodulatory and chemotherapy agents used in multiple sclerosis (MS), such as teriflunomide and mitoxantrone. 9,10 AA has also been reported as a side effect of other monoclonal antibody therapies for MS, including anti-CD52 agent, alemtuzumab, and anti-CD25 agent, daclizumab, 11–13 but has not yet been documented as a side effect of ocrelizumab. There are also no reports of any anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody therapies inducing AA in the literature.…”

Alemtuzumab‐induced halo naevus‐like hypopigmentation – new insights into secondary skin autoimmunity in response to an immune cell‐depleting antibody

“…1,2 Skin autoimmunity under alemtuzumab has but reported only in the neurological literature. 3,4 We describe a 33-year-old male patient who developed hypopigmentation around his melanocytic naevi with disappearance of the naevi in August 2018. In June 2016, he had been diagnosed with highly active RRMS and treated with alemtuzumab in September 2016 for the first time.…”