Original article title: "Comparison of therapeutic efficacy of topical corticosteroid and oral zinc sulfate-topical corticosteroid combination in the treatment of vitiligo patients: a clinical trial"

This randomized clinical trial was conducted for a period of one year. Thirty five patients among 86 participants were eligible to entrance to the study. The patients in two equal randomized groups took topical corticosteroid and combination of oral zinc sulfate-topical corticosteroid.The mean of responses in the corticosteroid group and the zinc sulfate-corticosteroid combination group were 21.43% and 24.7%, respectively.Although, the response to corticosteroid plus zinc sulfate was more than corticosteroid, there was no statistically significant difference between them. It appeared that more robust long-term randomized controlled trials on more patients, maybe with higher doses of zinc sulfate, are needed to fully establish the efficacy of oral zinc in management of vitiligo.chiCTRTRC10000930Vitiligo has been known for thousands of years because of its visually phenotype [1,2]. It is characterized by acquired, idiopathic, progressive, circumscribed hypomelanosis of the skin and hair, with total absence of melanocytes microscopically [3].Vitiligo is the most prevalent pigmentary disorder, occurs worldwide [4], with an incidence rate between 0.1-2% [4-8], irrespective of age, race [4,7-9], ethnic origin, or skin color [10]. Both sexes are equally afflicted [4]. In some studies, a female preponderance has been reported [2,4,11], but the discrepancy has been attributed to a presumed increase in reporting of cosmetic concerns by female patients [4]. Vitiligo commonly begins in childhood or young adulthood [4,12], with peak onset of 10 to 30 years [4,13], but it can develop at any age [4,14-17].It is generally agreed that there is an absence of functional melanocytes in vitiligo skin and that this loss of histochemically recognizable melanocytes is the result of destruction [18]. The etiopathogenesis of vitiligo is complex, and includes genetic factors, autoimmune process, infectious factors, and psychological factors (stress and personality characteristics of patients)