By Liao SJ; Liao TA.
Chinese Reports on the Treatment of Various Dermatological Conditions
Acupuncture treatment for psoriasis: a retrospective case report.
Acupuncture and Electro-Therapeutics Research, 1992 Jul-Sep, 17(3):195-208.
(UI: 93034519)
AT: UCLA siomed wl AC999T
(PE title: Acupuncture & electro-therapeutics research.)
Abstract: We treated 61 cases of psoriasis with acupuncture, including 25
patients with complications of joint involvement and two cases with
scleroderma additionally. All of the patients had failed to respond to
their prior conventional western medical management. 25 patients were males
and 36 were females. Their ages ranged from 22 to 84 years, with an average
of about 52 years. There was no significant difference of the average ages
between the sexes. Most of them (about 61%) had quite extensive involvement
of the body. The average of duration of their illness was over 16 years,
ranging from two to 65 years.
They received an average of about nine
sessions of acupuncture treatment, ranging from one to 15. Almost one third
(19) of them had eleven to thirteen sessions.
With the acupuncture
treatment, about one-half (30) of the 61 patients had complete or almost
complete clearance of the skin lesions. About a quarter (14 patients) of
them had a clearance of about two thirds of the skin lesions. Eight of them
had a clearance of one third of the skin lesions. Nine patients had minimal
or no improvement.
Our experience indicates that acupuncture is an
effective therapeutic modality for psoriasis, particularly when the western
medical management is unsuccessful. We speculated about the possible
involvement of the cutaneous reticuloendothelial system in the clearance of
the skin lesions. |