title: Placebo-controlled oral pulse prednisolone therapy in alopecia areata.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Systemic corticosteroids administered as pulse therapy have been found helpful in a wide array of diseases including alopecia areata (AA). None of the studies published so far regarding their use in AA have been randomized or placebo-controlled.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We sought to compare the efficacy of weekly oral prednisolone pulse therapy in a placebo-controlled trial for patients with extensive AA.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 43 patients were randomly divided into two groups. Patients in group A (23 patients) were treated with oral prednisolone (200 mg once weekly, 5 40-mg tablets) and patients in group B (20 patients) were given placebo tablets on an identical schedule. The total study period was 6 months, consisting of 3 months of active therapy followed by another 3 months of observation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significant hair regrowth was obtained in 8 patients in the prednisolone-treated group. Two of the responders experienced a relapse during the observation period of 3 months. In the placebo group, none of the patients had significant hair regrowth at the end of the study.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Oral prednisolone pulse therapy is useful in AA. Placebo-controlled studies with varying dosage schedules are required to standardize the dose of prednisolone used in pulse therapy, optimize the therapeutic efficacy, and minimize side effects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Venereology, and Leprology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India.
authors.forename: Bikash Ranjan
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Kar
authors.forename: Sanjeev
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Handa
authors.forename: Sunil
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dogra
authors.forename: Bhushan
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kumar
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000506:Alopecia Areata / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D006969:Hypersensitivity, Immediate / Q000150:complications; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D009260:Nail Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D011239:Prednisolone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012008:Recurrence; D012307:Risk Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D011239:Prednisolone