THERAPEUTICAL NOTES   

Giornale Italiano di Dermatologia e Venereologia 2005 April;140(2):165-73

Copyright © 2005 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English, Italian

Effectiveness of arsenical-ferrouginous waters on psoriasis: histologic, immunohistochemical and non-invasive assessment

Vignoli G. P. ¹, Ciocca O. ¹, Trespiolli D. ¹, Selmi A. ², Rosso R. ³, Borroni G. ¹

¹ Department of Dermatology, San Matteo University Hospital, IRCCS University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy 2 Levico and Vetriolo Spa, Levico (Trento), Italy 3 Institute of Pathology, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy

Aim. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effective efficacy on psoriasis of arsenical-ferrouginous water from Terme di Levico e Vetriolo (Levico and Vetriolo Spa).
Methods. The study was performed using 3 distinct approaches: the non-invasive, instrumental approach, evaluating the transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and superficial blood flow (laser-Doppler technology); and the histopatology, and the immunohistochemical techniques. We examined 40 volunteers (27 males and 13 females), age range 18 and 78 (mean 49 years), with a diagnosis of mild psoriasis, without any local or systemic treatment for at least 30 days before double-blind trial recruitment.
Results. After a cycle of 12 applications there were no substantial clinical alterations, while there was a statistically significant TEWL decrease (P<0.001); moreover, immunhistochemical analysis allowed us to detect a statistically significant (P<0.02) numerical decrease of proliferating keratinocyte nuclei.
Conclusion. According to pathogenesis of psoriasis, characterized by keratinocyte hyperproliferation (among other mechanisms), the arsenical-ferrouginous balneotherapy effects of improving skin barrier function and reducing cellular proliferation represent an interesting alternative treatment, but with longer cycles of application a those considered in this study.