Evidence map›Paper›PMID 37103690›Full record

Trial reportLasers in medical science2023

Split-face comparison of hydroquinone 4% plus nitrogen plasma vs. hydroquinone 4% alone in the treatment of melasma.

Marzieh Yousefi, Katayoon Hadian, Shima Babossalam, Reem Diab, Morteza Akhlaghi, Mustafa Aghighi, Fahimeh Abdollahimajd, Babak Shokri

Abstract readClinical Trial
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Trial report in Lasers in medical science, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
1.1field-weighted citation impact, top 21% 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

2 citing papers in PubMed, 4 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Penetration depth of cold atmospheric plasma into biological tissue: a review.Frontiers in bioengineering and biotechnology · 2026
    Review
  2. 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

8 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Marzieh YousefiPhysics Department, Shahid Beheshti University, P.O. Box 19839-6941, G.C., Tehran, Iran.
Katayoon HadianPhysics Department, Shahid Beheshti University, P.O. Box 19839-6941, G.C., Tehran, Iran.
Shima BabossalamLaser - Plasma Research Institute, Shahid Beheshti University, P.O. Box 19839-6941, G.C., Tehran, Iran.
Reem DiabDepartment of Dermatology, Shohada-e Tajrish Hospital, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Morteza AkhlaghiLaser - Plasma Research Institute, Shahid Beheshti University, P.O. Box 19839-6941, G.C., Tehran, Iran.
Mustafa AghighiLaser - Plasma Research Institute, Shahid Beheshti University, P.O. Box 19839-6941, G.C., Tehran, Iran.
Fahimeh AbdollahimajdDepartment of Dermatology, Shohada-e Tajrish Hospital, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. fabdollahimajd@sbmu.ac.ir.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9463-0665
Babak ShokriPhysics Department, Shahid Beheshti University, P.O. Box 19839-6941, G.C., Tehran, Iran. b-shokri@sbu.ac.ir.
Shahid Beheshti University · IRShahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences · IR

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Treatment of skin diseases is important yet challenging. One of the most common skin diseases in women is melasma, which features acquired facial hyperpigmentation. We studied the effect of cold atmospheric nitrogen plasma on this disease. To characterize the nitrogen plasma, we obtained the relative intensity of the species and the plasma temperature and skin temperature during processing at different input powers and gas flows. Patients complaining of melasma were treated with hydroquinone on both sides of the face, and one side was randomly selected for additional nitrogen plasma therapy. Eight treatment sessions of plasma processing were provided 1 week apart, and one follow-up session was scheduled 1 month after the end of treatment. The rate of improvement was scored by a dermatologist in the eighth session and 1 month following the last session using the modified Melasma Area Severity Index (mMASI). Skin biomechanical characteristics such as melanin, cutaneous resonance running time (CRRT), transepidermal water loss (TEWL), and hydration were measured at baseline and during the fourth, eighth, and follow-up sessions. On both sides, we observed a significant decrease in both CRRT and melanin (P < 0.05). TEWL did not change on both sides, while hydration decreased significantly only on the side to which hydroquinone was applied in isolation (P < 0.05). According to clinical scores, on both sides, we had significant improvement. On the side that plasma was not applied, the percentage reduction of pigmentation (mMASI) in the eighth and follow-up sessions in comparison with the baseline was 5.49 ± 8.50% and 33.04 ± 9.17%, respectively, while on the other side, these figures were 20.57 ± 6.64% and 48.11 ± 11%. For melanin, these figures were 13.84 ± 4.84% and 18.23 ± 7.10% on the hydroquinone side and 21.56 ± 3.13% and 23.93 ± 3.02% on the other side. According to these results, nitrogen plasma can safely complement topical hydroquinone to improve clinical outcomes when treating melasma without causing stratum corneum damage or skin discomfort, though confirmatory studies are needed.

Indexed as

HydroquinonesMelanosisFemaleHumansMelaninsTreatment OutcomehydroquinoneHydroquinonesMelaninsHydroquinoneMelaninMelasmaNitrogenNon-thermal plasmaPlasma medicine

Identifiers

PMID37103690
OpenAlexW4367174736

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.