M.Tech. / Psoriasis vulgaris (plaque psoriasis) is a chronic recurring inflammatory skin disease that manifests most commonly as well-circumscribed, erythematous papules and plaques of varying sizes, covered with silvery scales (Beers et al., 2010). The condition itself is considered to be difficult to treat and manage by many types of healthcare practitioners, due in part to its unknown aetiology/trigger and partly due to the nature of the disease itself (Medonça and Burden, 2003). The aim of this study was to ascertain the effects of a Homoeopathic complex remedy on psoriasis. A group of twenty seven participants completed the study. Participants were of both sexes, had to be between the ages of 18 and 65 and had to have been previously diagnosed with plaque psoriasis. The study was conducted over four consultations, two weeks apart, over a six week period. The study followed a double-blind, placebo controlled format. Participants were grouped into matching pairs in terms of age and severity of disease and were then randomly assigned into either the treatment or placebo group for the study duration. Participants were evaluated at each consultation using the three primary assessment tools, namely: the psoriasis area and severity index (PASI) used to assess erythema, thickness and scaling of lesions; the psoriasis disability index questionnaire (PDI), a subjective participant-orientated evaluation of the psychological impact of the disease and the 5-D itch scale used to quantitatively rate the subjective experience of pruritus. The secondary tools used at each consultation were for monitoring purposes only and were used to determine: changes in selected lesion area, as well as the effects of the intervention on the total body surface area (TBSA) affected by psoriasis. The TBSA tool was also used to determine whether new lesions developed during the study period. Using non-parametric analyses, the results of the study demonstrated statistically significant improvement in three of the five variables tested. This includes improvement in: lesion appearance (erythema, scaling and thickness) as determined by PASI; improved psychological experience of the disease quantified by PDI and improvement in the degree of pruritus. It was noted that non-parametric analyses also showed improvement in lesion area. However, lesion area measurement was a secondary tool used for monitoring purposes and it was noted that the use of the tool demonstrated short-comings with regards to consistency and reliability. Parametric analyses showed improvement of statistical significance in one of the five variables tested, namely that of pruritus levels as determined by the 5-D itch scale. It was concluded from this study that the homoeopathic complex remedy was found to be effective in the treatment of certain symptoms of psoriasis and as such should be considered as an adjunct therapy in its treatment.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:uj/uj:10422 |
| Date | 24 October 2012 |
| Creators | Gunter, Roxanna |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
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