SynthesisAnais brasileiros de dermatologia
Effectiveness of acyclovir in the treatment of pityriasis rosea. A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Synthesis in Anais brasileiros de dermatologia. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 9 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
9 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 21 citations in OpenAlex.
- Treatment Effects in Randomized and Nonrandomized Studies of Pharmacological Interventions: A Meta-Analysis.JAMA network open · 2024Pooled it
- Interventions for pityriasis rosea.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2019Pooled it
- Beyond the Herald Patch: Exploring the Complex Landscape of Pityriasis Rosea.American journal of clinical dermatology · 2025Review
- Comparative Efficacy of Different Pharmacological Treatments for Pityriasis Rosea: A Network Meta-Analysis.Journal of clinical medicine · 2024Review
- L-lysine as an Alternative Treatment for Pityriasis Rosea (PR) [Letter].Clinical, cosmetic and investigational dermatology · 2024Article
- L-Lysine as an Alternative Treatment for Pityriasis Rosea (PR) [Response to Letter].Clinical, cosmetic and investigational dermatology · 2024Article
- The use of antivirals in severe or recalcitrant cases of pityriasis rosea: A case series.JAAD case reports · 2022Article
- Pityriasis rosea-like cutaneous eruption as a possible dermatological manifestation after Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine: Case report and brief literature review.Dermatologic therapy · 2021Review
- Pityriasis rosea, COVID-19 and vaccination: new keys to understand an old acquaintance.Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology : JEADV · 2021Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
3 authors at 2 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundThere is a lack of evidence to support acyclovir administration in pityriasis rosea.
objectiveTo determine the efficacy of acyclovir in patients with typical pityriasis rosea.
methodsA systematic review and meta-analysis of experimental studies was performed in MEDLINE, SCOPUS, EMBASE and others, from January 1990 to October 2016 on acyclovir for pityriasis rosea. Random effect model was used to find the pooled Risk Ratio. Outcomes, evaluated between weeks 1 to 8, were regression of lesions, cessation of lesions, decrease of symptoms and duration of disease. Comparisons were acyclovir vs. placebo; acyclovir vs. symptomatic treatment; acyclovir vs. antibiotic; acyclovir vs. observation and combined therapy (acyclovir plus symptomatic treatment) vs. symptomatic treatment alone.
resultsSeven papers were analyzed with 324 participants, of which 159 received acyclovir and 165 were controls. Acyclovir was superior to placebo for complete regression of lesions at week 1 (Risk Ratio 5.72, CI95% 2.36-13.88). However, combined therapy was not superior to symptomatic treatment at week 4 (Risk Ratio 1.46, CI95% 0.93-2.29). Individual studies showed the superiority of acyclovir for the control of symptoms and pruritus. STUDY LIMITATIONS: We faced differences designs of trials and inconsistency between reports.
conclusionSymptomatic treatment is a reasonable option for pityriasis rosea, and the addition of acyclovir is justified for the control of symptoms and pruritus.
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What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.