AUTHOR=Zimmermann Julian , Buhl Timo , Müller Marcus 

TITLE=Alopecia Universalis following Alemtuzumab Treatment in Multiple Sclerosis: A Barely Recognized Manifestation of Secondary Autoimmunity—Report of a Case and Review of the Literature

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Neurology

VOLUME=Volume 8 - 2017

YEAR=2017

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/neurology/articles/10.3389/fneur.2017.00569

DOI=10.3389/fneur.2017.00569

ISSN=1664-2295

ABSTRACT=Secondary autoimmunity is the most frequent adverse event occurring in almost every other alemtuzumab-treated MS-patient. We report a case of a patient with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis who reported smooth, circular areas of complete hair loss on both thighs six months after the second treatment cycle with alemtuzumab. The patient was diagnosed as having alopecia areata (AA). Within three months, AA progressed to complete loss of all body hair (alopecia universalis). Current literature rarely connects alemtuzumab with the onset of alopecia of autoimmune origin. Here, we report a little-noticed autoimmune disease affecting the skin, very likely being associated with alemtuzumab. We emphasize the necessity of careful clinical surveillance of alemtuzumab-treated patients for yet undescribed autoimmune diseases.