ArticleCureus2025
Mapping Online Discourse on Topical Steroid Withdrawal: Accuracy, Safety, and Supporting Evidence.
Article in Cureus, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.
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
1 citing paper in PubMed.
- Topical steroid withdrawal: dissecting the controversy.Frontiers in medicine · 2026Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
6 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Introduction Topical steroid withdrawal (TSW) refers to a collection of adverse effects related to the cessation of topical corticosteroid use, especially with prolonged use or higher potency formulations. While TSW lacks official recognition and standardized diagnostic criteria, the topic has gained significant attention online. This study analyzes social media discussions surrounding TSW to gain an improved understanding of patient perspectives and assesses the accuracy and safety of the online discourse. Methods TSW-related content was retrieved from social media platforms Instagram and TikTok. Educational content and content specifically created by physicians were rated in accuracy, safety, and agreement by dermatology residents. From Reddit, TSW-related posts in the Subreddit r/eczema were extracted and then analyzed with a sentiment analysis tool. Results The majority of online discourse consisted of users sharing their personal experiences. Educational content consistently fell below the midpoint for accuracy, safety, and agreement on Instagram and TikTok, whereas physician-generated content averaged 4.25 out of 5 in all three categories. Online users discussed non-conventional treatments, including cold atmospheric plasma therapy and no moisture therapy, that present with limited evidence in the management of TSW. Dermatologist-generated content discussed the potential use of dupilumab, which has been utilized in case studies for the treatment of TSW. Conclusion The presence of unregulated and potentially harmful treatment advice in current discourse can pose risks to patient well-being. Establishing standardized diagnostic criteria, prioritizing research into TSW management, and increasing dermatologist involvement online are crucial steps in improving patient care and safety in the context of TSW.
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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.