Comparative adverse effects of low-dose oral prednisolone and oral mini pulse dexamethasone in patients of vitiligo

Objective to compare the adverse effects of low-dose oral prednisolone and oral mini pulse dexamethasone in patients of vitiligo. methods a clinical trial was carried out from january 2013 to december 2013. total sixty patients of vitiligo were enrolled and 30 of group a patients were treated with low dose oral prednisolone (0.3 mg/kg body weight) daily and 30 of group b patients were treated with oral dexamethasone pulse therapy (10 mg per week) for 16 weeks. results during 12 week follow-up,increased body weight,headache,dyspepsia and fatigue were more frequent in group a as compared to group b. similarly,in group a other side effects noted were acne (33.3%),mooning of face (26.6%),striae (26.6%),hypertrichosis 13.2%,purpura (6.7%) and among the female patients,menstrual abnormality (71.4%) whereas in group b,no patient developed these problems from baseline to follow-up period (p<0.05). conclusion low dose oral prednisolone was found to be associated with more adverse effects than oral dexamethasone pulse therapy in treating vitiligo.