Quality of life and assessment after local application of sulphurous water in the home environment in patients with psoriasis vulgaris: A randomised placebo-controlled pilot study

AimPsoriasis one of the most common dermatological diseases and has been treated in the Sulphurous Mineral Waters (SMW) Balneary or Spa. This study aims to assess the effectiveness of a short-term treatment with SMW and to assess this treatment's impact on the quality of life of the patients with psoriasis vulgaris.Materials and methodsThe present study is a pilot, randomised, triple-blind study that was conducted over a month and a half with patients from the province of Zaragoza (Spain). The patients were divided randomly into two groups that were treated simultaneously: the treatment group (TG) that received SMW from a spring known as “Platea”, which was located in the town of Calatayud (Spain), and the control group (CG) that received distilled water. The patients applied the water on the affected areas of their skin at home by themselves using a spray. Assessment was done by a physician and a psychologist trained with PASI and DLQI at days 1, 8, and 15 of the treatment.ResultsIn the TG the percentage of patients who arrived at PASI50, was 21.05%, whereas in the CG of 16.66%; however, no significant differences were observed between the treatments or their clinical efficacies as defined by the increases in the index percentages.ConclusionsThis pilot study demonstrates that there is sufficient patient acceptance for future research with larger sample sizes should evaluate the effects of SMW in psoriasis versus that of the placebo.