A comparative study of melasma severity after hyperthyroid therapy in hyperthyroid subjects with melasma.

INTRODUCTION

Melasma, and its variant chloasma, is an acquired and chronic disorder of hyperpigmentation, characterized by symmetrical hypermelanoses of the face. The exact pathogenesis of melasma remains unclear. Several hormones are thought to play a role, including thyroid hormones. The study's objectives are to determine the proportion of melasma cases in hyperthyroid patients and to compare the severity of melasma before and after medications of hyperthyroid therapy.

METHODS

A quasi-experimental (pre-post intervention) study was conducted in Jakarta from August 2019 to February 2020. Twenty-three patients either newly diagnosed with hyperthyroidism or that had undergone hyperthyroid therapy for a maximum of 3 months and also had melasma were recruited. The severity of melasma was scored with the modified Melasma Area and Severity Index (mMASI), and dermoscopy of the lesions was performed. The evaluation was performed after 3 months of hyperthyroid therapy.

RESULTS

Among the 69 hyperthyroid patients, 45 (65%) had melasma. The mean difference in the mMASI score was 0.49 (p > 0.05). Dermoscopy features did not show any differences between the start and end of the study.

CONCLUSIONS

There is no significant improvement of melasma severity in hyperthyroid patients after 3 months of hyperthyroid therapy.