A 32-year-old male patient diagnosed with smear positive pulmonary tuberculosis presented with excessive hair fall two months after starting anti-tuberculosis treatment. In the absence of any specific metabolic or dermatological cause, drug-induced alopecia was suspected. A review of the literature revealed isoniazid as the culprit drug. Isoniazid was withdrawn and the patient started having new hair growth gradually.
World Health Organization. Global Tuberculosis Report 2018. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2018.
Gilman AG, Rall TW, Nies AS, Taylor P. The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics. 8th edition. Oxford: Pergamon Press; 1990:p.1146–64.
Adler SN, Gasbarra DB. A Pocket Manual of Differential Diagnosis. 4th edition. Lippincott Williams and Wilkins; 2005.
Tosi A, Misciali C, Piraccini BM, Peluso AM, Bardazzi F. Drug-induced hair loss and hair growth: incidence, management and avoidance. Drug Saf 1994;10:310–7.
FitzGerald JM, Tuner MT, Dean S, Elwood RK. Alopecia side effect of antituberculosis drugs. Lancet 1996;347:472.
Sharma PK, Gautam RK, Bhardwaj M, Kar HK. Isonicotinic acid hydrazide induced anagen effluvium and associated lichenoid eruption. J Dermatol 2001;28:737–41.
Gupta KB, Kumar V, Vishvkarma S, Shandily R. Isoniazidinduced alopecia. Lung India 2011;28:60–1.
Arshad N, Jain RC, Verma K. Ethionamide induced alopecia. Indian J Tub 1984;31:173–4.
Gupta DK, Kumar R, Kumar V, Aggarwal AK. Diffuse toxic alopecia due to thiacetazone. Indian J Chest Dis Allied Sci 1993;25:74–5.