Patient-reported treatment outcomes and safety of direct-to-consumer teledermatology for finasteride treatment in male androgenetic alopecia: A cross-sectional study
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Patient-reported treatment outcomes and safety of direct-to-consumer teledermatology for finasteride treatment in male androgenetic alopecia: A cross-sectional study. / von Büren, Johannes; Hansen, Inga; Kött, Julian; Schröder, Florian; Veneroso, Juliana; Schneider, Stefan W; Abeck, Finn.
In: DIGIT HEALTH, Vol. 9, 2023, p. 20552076231205740.Research output: SCORING: Contribution to journal › SCORING: Journal article › Research › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Patient-reported treatment outcomes and safety of direct-to-consumer teledermatology for finasteride treatment in male androgenetic alopecia: A cross-sectional study
AU - von Büren, Johannes
AU - Hansen, Inga
AU - Kött, Julian
AU - Schröder, Florian
AU - Veneroso, Juliana
AU - Schneider, Stefan W
AU - Abeck, Finn
N1 - © The Author(s) 2023.
PY - 2023
Y1 - 2023
N2 - OBJECTIVE: The use of direct-to-consumer (DTC) teledermatology platforms has increased, particularly for androgenetic alopecia (AGA). However, little is known about the efficacy and safety of these platforms. This study aimed to investigate the patient-reported treatment outcomes and safety of DTC teledermatology for the finasteride treatment of male AGA.METHODS: This retrospective, cross-sectional study used data from a German DTC platform for finasteride treatment between December 2021 and January 2023. Patient-reported outcomes were collected through voluntary follow-up questionnaires provided to the patients six weeks after the first prescription to assess treatment outcomes and safety.RESULTS: Data collection included 2269 patients. Of all patients who answered the follow-up questionnaire (n = 191), 79% (150 out of 191) self-reported positive changes in hair appearance, and 59% (113 out of 191) reported an improvement in self-esteem under treatment. Patients with self-reported positive changes in hair appearance were more likely to report improved self-esteem (P < 0.0001). Treatment-related adverse events occurred in 12% (22 out of 191) of the patients. Full treatment adherence was reported in 87% (167 out of 191) of patients.CONCLUSION: From the patient's perspective, DTC teledermatology has the potential to improve hair appearance and self-esteem. Our results suggest that it may be an effective and safe treatment option for men with AGA, justifying low-threshold access. However, treatment-related adverse events should be closely monitored during follow-up. Further studies are required to evaluate the long-term effects of the DTC teledermatology treatment. By collecting real-world data, teledermatology platforms could be useful beyond their primary focus and could play an important role in the context of future research.
AB - OBJECTIVE: The use of direct-to-consumer (DTC) teledermatology platforms has increased, particularly for androgenetic alopecia (AGA). However, little is known about the efficacy and safety of these platforms. This study aimed to investigate the patient-reported treatment outcomes and safety of DTC teledermatology for the finasteride treatment of male AGA.METHODS: This retrospective, cross-sectional study used data from a German DTC platform for finasteride treatment between December 2021 and January 2023. Patient-reported outcomes were collected through voluntary follow-up questionnaires provided to the patients six weeks after the first prescription to assess treatment outcomes and safety.RESULTS: Data collection included 2269 patients. Of all patients who answered the follow-up questionnaire (n = 191), 79% (150 out of 191) self-reported positive changes in hair appearance, and 59% (113 out of 191) reported an improvement in self-esteem under treatment. Patients with self-reported positive changes in hair appearance were more likely to report improved self-esteem (P < 0.0001). Treatment-related adverse events occurred in 12% (22 out of 191) of the patients. Full treatment adherence was reported in 87% (167 out of 191) of patients.CONCLUSION: From the patient's perspective, DTC teledermatology has the potential to improve hair appearance and self-esteem. Our results suggest that it may be an effective and safe treatment option for men with AGA, justifying low-threshold access. However, treatment-related adverse events should be closely monitored during follow-up. Further studies are required to evaluate the long-term effects of the DTC teledermatology treatment. By collecting real-world data, teledermatology platforms could be useful beyond their primary focus and could play an important role in the context of future research.
U2 - 10.1177/20552076231205740
DO - 10.1177/20552076231205740
M3 - SCORING: Journal article
C2 - 37808234
VL - 9
SP - 20552076231205740
JO - DIGIT HEALTH
JF - DIGIT HEALTH
SN - 2055-2076
ER -