DEAD-SEA BATH SALT FOR THE TREATMENT OF PSORIASIS-VULGARIS - A DOUBLE-BLIND CONTROLLED-STUDY

Background The beneficial effect of the Dead Sea (DS) area in psoriasi s is attributed in part to the DS water, which has a high content of m inerals. Aim The aim of the study was to evaluate the sole therapeutic effect of DS salt in psoriasis. Patients and Methods Thirty patients with psoriasis vulgaris, involving >15% body area, were included in th e study, which was conducted in a double-blind controlled manner. Trea tment consisted of once daily baths, heated to 35 degrees C, of 20 min duration, for 3 weeks, of either DS bath salt (group I) or common sal t (group II). Clinical evaluation was based on Psoriasis Area and Seve rity Index (PASI) score determination before and after treatment. Resu lts Twenty-five patients (13 in group I and 12 in group II) terminated the treatment protocol. In both groups, treated by DS bath salt and c ommon salt, respectively, the mean PASI score before treatment (18.6 /- 9.4 and 15.7 +/- 7.1, respectively) decreased significantly at the end of the treatment (11.4 +/- 6.1 and 11.4 +/- 6.6, respectively). Th e mean percentage reduction of PASI score at the end of the treatment regimen, was higher in patients treated with DS bath salt (34.8%) comp ared to patients treated with common salt (27.5%) (P > 0.05). The mean percentage reduction a month after termination of the treatment proto col was higher in patients treated with DS bath salt (43.6%) than in t hose treated with common salt (24%) (P > 0.05). Conclusions The presen t study implies a beneficial effect to bathing with either DS bath sal t or common salt as a sole therapy for psoriasis vulgaris. However, we observed an enhanced beneficial effect of DS bath salt compared to co mmon salt. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.