Evidence map›Paper›PMID 36950044›Full record

ArticleThe Journal of clinical and aesthetic dermatology2023

Methotrexate Gel Either Alone or Combined with Narrow Band Ultraviolet B or Excimer Light for the Treatment of Vitiligo.

Khaled Gharib, Alshimaa Ibrahim, Yasmeen El Sharkawi, Nagia Elmegrab, Mohamed Attia

Open access · greenAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in The Journal of clinical and aesthetic dermatology, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
1.0field-weighted citation impact, top 25% of its field
1 · What the graph read from 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.

2 · The registry

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.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed, 5 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Treatment Advances in Vitiligo: An Updated Review.Dermatology practical & conceptual · 2025
    Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Khaled GharibAll authors are with the Dermatology, Venereology and Andrology Department, Faculty of Medicine at Zagazig University in Zagazig, Egypt.
Alshimaa IbrahimAll authors are with the Dermatology, Venereology and Andrology Department, Faculty of Medicine at Zagazig University in Zagazig, Egypt.
Yasmeen El SharkawiAll authors are with the Dermatology, Venereology and Andrology Department, Faculty of Medicine at Zagazig University in Zagazig, Egypt.
Nagia ElmegrabAll authors are with the Dermatology, Venereology and Andrology Department, Faculty of Medicine at Zagazig University in Zagazig, Egypt.
Mohamed AttiaAll authors are with the Dermatology, Venereology and Andrology Department, Faculty of Medicine at Zagazig University in Zagazig, Egypt.
Zagazig University · EG

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: Methotrexate has been used successfully in the treatment of vitiligo. It leads to decrease in the number of TNF-α secreting T cells in association with increase in the number of interleukin (IL)-10 producing T cells. Topical forms of methotrexate do not have significant hematologic or hepatotoxic side effects unlike the systemic forms of the drug. Objective: We sought to evaluate the efficacy and safety of methotrexate gel for the treatment of vitiligo, either alone or combined with narrowband (NB) ultraviolet B (UVB) or with excimer light. Methods: Forty-eight patients with vitiligo were randomized into three treatment groups. Group I was treated with methotrexate gel twice daily. Group II was treated with methotrexate gel twice daily plus NB-UVB twice weekly. Group III was treated with methotrexate gel twice daily combined with excimer light twice weekly. Treatment was continued for three months followed by a one-month follow-up period. Results: There was a statistically significant difference between groups regarding the therapeutic response. The highest response was recorded in the group treated with methotrexate gel and NB-UVB. More patients in Group II showed good or excellent response than in the other groups. Conclusion: Methotrexate gel could increase the therapeutic effect of NB-UVB and excimer laser and shorten the treatment period of vitiligo. However, it was not effective enough to induce repigmentation when used alone.

Indexed as

laserMethotrexatevitiligo

Identifiers

PMID36950044
PMCPMC10027324
OpenAlexW4360600306

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.