Balneophototherapy of psoriasis: highly concentrated salt water versus tapwater - a randomized, one-blind, right/left comparative study

Background/Purpose. Apart from climatotherapy and spa therapy, combined tre atment with salt water baths and artificial UV radiation (balneophototherap y) has been advocated for the treatment of psoriasis. As there is a lack of controlled studies on balneophototherapy (BPT), we conducted a randomized, one-blind, right/left comparison with salt water versus tap water in order to investigate the significance of the salt concentration in the efficacy of BPT. Methods: Ten psoriasis patients with chronic plaques on the elbows were inc luded in the study. One elbow was soaked in 24% NaCl solution and the other in tap water. Subsequently: broadband UVB irradiation was administered. BP T was performed 4 times weekly with a total of 30 treatments. Results: A highly significant (P<0,001) decrease of the clinical baseline s core was observed after 30 treatments; however, there was no significant (P >0,5) difference in clearance of the psoriatic lesions between the sites so aked in salt water and tap water. Conclusion: Our results suggest that any additional benefit of soaking in s alt water and tap water in BPT are unlikely to be due to the salinity of th e liquids.