title: Short- and medium-term efficacy of specific hydrotherapy in inherited ichthyosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Management of inherited ichthyoses is symptomatic. Despite treatment, skin symptoms have a major impact on patients' quality of life (QoL).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess the short- and medium-term efficacy of hydrotherapy on QoL and clinical symptoms of patients with inherited ichthyosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this 9-month prospective, open-label, multicentre study, 20 children and 24 adults with ichthyosis were enrolled in several French reference and competence centres, 2 months before undergoing a 3-week treatment with specific hydrotherapeutic management at Avène Hydrotherapy Centre. At baseline (2 months before hydrotherapy), beginning (D0) and end of hydrotherapy (D18), and 3 and 6 months later at the reference and competence centres, patients self-assessed QoL using the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) or its paediatric version (Children's DLQI), and investigators evaluated ichthyosis severity using a specific clinical ichthyosis score.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The DLQI scores were significantly improved not only at the end of the hydrotherapy treatment (-56% vs. baseline; mean ± SD 3·59 ± 4·30 at D18 vs. 8·35 ± 5·71 at D0; P < 0·0001), but also at 3 months (-28% vs. baseline; P = 0·01) and 6 months after hydrotherapy (-26% vs. baseline; mean ± SD 5·21 ± 5·11 vs. 6·89 ± 5·38; P = 0·03) (primary criterion). Clinical symptoms were also significantly improved at all post-treatment visits, with a decrease of the mean clinical ichthyosis score by -38% between D0 and D18, by -30% at 3 months and by -31% at 6 months vs. baseline.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A 3-week treatment at Avène Hydrotherapy Centre provided significant and persisting improvement of QoL and clinical symptoms in patients with inherited ichthyoses.
authors: Department of Dermatology, Hôpital Necker Enfants Malades, Paris, France. christine.bodemer@nck.ap-hop-paris.fr
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Bodemer
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Bourrat
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Mazereeuw-Hautier
authors: F
authors: F
authors: Boralevi
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Barbarot
authors: D
authors: D
authors: Bessis
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Blanchet-Bardon
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Bourdon-Lanoy
authors: J-F
authors: JF
authors: Stalder
authors: V
authors: V
authors: Ribet
authors: D
authors: D
authors: Guerrero
authors: V
authors: V
authors: Sibaud
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006875:Hydrotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D007057:Ichthyosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult