The Polyclinic

Sep 19, 2023

No Comments The first therapy approved for the treatment of severe alopecia areata is available at the Palermo Polyclinic. At the complex operational unit of Dermatology and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) of the Polyclinic, directed by Professor Maria Rita Bongiorno, it is possible to treat this disease, severe alopecia areata, with an innovative drug, “baricitinib” the name of the molecule, inhibitor of Janus Kinase, enzymes responsible for inflammatory and immune processes. Last August, the regional health department updated the hospital and local therapeutic handbook, authorizing the use of “baricitinib” (its marketing and reimbursement by the National Health Service had been approved by the ‘Aifa, Italian Medicines Agency, with resolution 456/2023 and published in the Official Journal of 3 July 2023), the administration of which will take place according to the precise indications of Aifa itself. «Our operational unit, an authorized center for the prescription of biotechnological drugs, – states Professor Bongiorno – confirms its attention to innovation, ensuring patients high-level healthcare and a good quality of life». Alopecia areata is an autoimmune disease characterized by sudden and rapid loss of hair or hair, in one or more localized patches. In 20% of cases the pathology evolves into its most serious forms: total alopecia areata (loss of all hair) or universal (with involvement of all hair and body hair). «The diagnosis is essentially clinical – explains Bongiorno – and can be facilitated by the use of the dermatoscope which highlights the characteristic signs. This pathology has a strong impact on the quality of life of patients, as the physical effects caused by the lack of protection caused by the absence of hair are associated with psychological and social consequences.” The Dermatology and STD UOC is also a regional reference center for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of rare diseases of dermatological interest. Patients are followed in diagnosis, treatment and clinical monitoring through specifically dedicated diagnostic and care pathways.