A CONTROLLED TRIAL OF ACUPUNCTURE IN PSORIASIS - NO CONVINCING EFFECT

Several uncontrolled studies have suggested that acupuncture is an eff ective treatment for psoriasis, To test this hypothesis, 56 patients s uffering from long-standing plaque psoriasis were randomized to receiv e either active treatment (electrostimulation by needles placed intram uscularly, plus ear-acupuncture) or placebo (sham, 'minimal acupunctur e') twice weekly for 10 weeks, The severity of the skin lesions was sc ored (PASI) before, during, and 3 months after therapy, After 10 weeks of treatment the PAST mean value had decreased from 9.6 to 8.3 in the 'active' group and from 9.2 to 6.9 in the placebo group (p<0.05 for b oth groups), These effects are less than the usual placebo effect of a bout 30%. There were no statistically significant differences between the outcomes in the two groups during or 3 mouths after therapy, The p atient's own opinion about the results showed no preference for 'activ e' therapy. It was also clear from the answers that the blinded nature of the study had not been discovered by the patients, In conclusion, classical acupuncture is not superior to sham (placebo) 'minimal acupu ncture' in the treatment of psoriasis.