Climatotherapy at Red Sea, Hurghada, versus topical combination of corticosteroids with salicylic acid in treatment of psoriasis

Background The comparison between the efficacy of climatotherapy and the combination of topical steroids with salicylic acid has not been done before. Climatotherapy treatment includes balneotherapy and sun exposure. Objective To compare the effectiveness and safeness of climate therapy at Red Sea, Hurghada, with topical corticosteroid and salicylic acid combination therapy for treating chronic plaque psoriasis. Patients and methods The work included 30 cases with chronic plaque psoriasis. Patients' age ranged between 9 and 60 years. Cases were classified randomly into two groups, with 15 cases each. Group I was treated with Red Sea climatotherapy (sand bath, bathing in Red Sea water, and sunlight exposure). Group II was treated with topical mix of salicylic acid (3.00%) and corticosteroids (betamethasone dipropionate 0.05%). Psoriasis area and severity index (PASI score), Skindex 16 questionnaire, and histopathological examination of skin biopsies of psoriatic lesions were performed for each patient before and after 3 weeks of treatment. Results A marked decrease in PASI score (P = 0.001) and of Skindex 16 (P = 0.009) and a significant difference between histopathological changes were found in cases treated with climatotherapy and in cases treated with topical combination of steroids and salicylic acid but with much more decrease in patients treated with climatotherapy. After treatment, PASI score improved by 80% in 75% of cases in group I and by 50% in 75% of patients in group II. Conclusion Climatotherapy is a safe, alternative treatment of psoriasis with low risk, high therapeutic effect, and no adverse effects.