ReviewCureus2026
An Updated Systematic Review of Topical Corticosteroid Withdrawal (TCSW): Steroid Addiction or Adverse Drug Effect?
Review in Cureus, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Topical corticosteroid withdrawal (TCSW) can occur after prolonged topical corticosteroid (TCS) use. Despite the effectiveness of TCS in treating dermatological conditions, the phenomenon of steroid phobia has been gaining attention on social media platforms. This has contributed to increased anxiety among patients and potentially influenced their treatment adherence. This review aims to update the findings of two studies by investigating the latest research on TCSW. A systematic search was conducted in Ovid MEDLINE, PubMed, and the Cochrane Library from October 2020 to June 2024. Seven studies were included in the analysis, including five case reports, one case series, and one qualitative cross-sectional survey, reflecting the limited and descriptive nature of the currently available evidence on TCSW. TCSW appears to predominantly occur in adult women (90%) using TCS for atopic dermatitis (99.5%), mostly on the face (90%). Common symptoms include burning (89.8%), itching (85.6%), and skin hypersensitivity (82.3%), with erythema (89.6%) and desquamation (88.7%). TCSW appears to occur more commonly in women using high-potency TCS on the face long-term. Inconsistent diagnostic criteria, variable definitions, and the primarily descriptive nature of the currently available evidence complicate accurate diagnosis and treatment of TCSW. Increased awareness, education, and research on standardized criteria and management strategies are essential.
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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.