The Efficacy and Safety of Balneotherapy as an Adjuvant Treatment for Atopic Dermatitis at Samsan Spa, Korea: A Randomized Controlled Split-body Trial / 대한피부과학회지

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND@#Atopic dermatitis is a chronic inflammatory disease associated with long-term use of topical and systemic medications. Several articles have described the use of balneotherapy as an adjuvant treatment for atopic dermatitis in many countries, including Korea.@*OBJECTIVE@#The goal of this study was to investigate the therapeutic efficacy and safety of balneotherapy as an adjuvant treatment of atopic dermatitis.@*METHODS@#Ten patients with atopic dermatitis were enrolled in this study and each patient served as their own control. Testing was conducted on the anterior cubital fossa of the arm. A priori binary randomization was completed to determine which arm would receive balneotherapy or tap water. Patients visited clinics 3 times per week for 2 weeks and had a forearm bath for 15 minutes. Assessment was performed at baseline, and after 1 and 2 weeks of treatment.@*RESULTS@#At the last visit, the balneotherapy group showed improvements in their local eczema area, severity index score, and the degree transepidermal water loss. The physician's global assessment, patient's self-global assessment, and skin hydration was increased in both groups.@*CONCLUSION@#Our study suggests that balneotherapy is a safe adjuvant therapy that could be considered for the treatment of atopic dermatitis. However, more studies are required to demonstrate scientific basis for this treatment.