Long‐term evaluation of climatotherapy for psoriasis

Climatotherapy (CT) is a treatment with immediate high clearance rate for chronic psoriasis, but evidence of long‐term effects is scarce. Assessment of the impact of a single CT treatment on disease activity and quality of life was carried out at 4‐ to 6‐month follow‐ups. A prospective study of patients with psoriasis undergoing 4 weeks of CT in Israel describes long‐term outcomes of CT. Psoriasis Area Severity Index (PASI) and Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) scores were assessed before CT and at an average of 5 months after return. Assessment of the eligibility for CT takes place twice a year. A total of 49 patients (28/21 M/F) participated. Pretreatment PASI was 2.6 to 18.7 (mean 8.1 ± 3.8) vs control PASI 0 to 16.9 (mean 5 ± 2.8), (P < .0001). Mean ΔPASI was 3.2 (39.5% reduction). PASI 75 was achieved by 11/49 patients; 10/49 had increased PASI. The mean DLQI score was 16.1 (range 2‐30); 10.6 at follow‐up (range 0‐28), and 33 patients achieved DLQI minimal clinically important difference (P < .0001). Age, sex, number of previous CT, and duration of observation period did not affect endpoints. CT and unmonitored self‐treatment induces PASI 75 in one‐fifth patients at follow‐up 4 to 6 months later. Six of 10 patients report a clinically important improvement of patients' quality of life as measured by DLQI.