Balneotherapy for psoriasis at Kusatsu. Value of balneotherapy as alternative and complementary medicine / 日本温泉気候物理医学会雑誌

ABSTRACT

From March 1990 to September 2001, 24 patients with psoriasis (16 males and 8 females, 54±18 years) were admitted to our hospital to receive balneotherapy using Kusatsu hot-spring water. The psoriasis had been refractory to various treatments including steroid ointment therapy over a long period of time. The patients took a 10-minute 40-42°C hot-spring bath followed by application of vitamine D3 ointment 1-2 times daily for 37±19 days. The main components of the hot-spring water are aluminium, sulphates and chlorides, and its pH is 2.0. The skin symptoms of 20 of 24 cases (83%) were improved through the balneotherapy, while those of the remaining 4 cases were not changed. No side effects were observed. The serum levels of uric acid, GOT and GPT which are reported to be increased slightly did not correlate with the skin symptoms. The serum LDH level which is associated with the skin manifestastions in patients with atopic dermatitis also gave no useful information in the treatment of psoriasis. Although the mechanism of the improvement of skin manifestations is not clarified, balneotherapy at Kusatsu can be useful for the treatment of refractory cases of psoriasis as alternative and complementary medicine