title: [Impact of SPA therapy with sulphureous mineral water on quality of life and psychological distress in chronic plaque psoriasis].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The plaque psoriasis, one of the most common form of psoriasis, is a chronic inflammatory disease. This pathology can cause devastating effects on quality of life and social relations with significant physical and psychological distress. Currently among the therapeutic agents available for the treatment of psoriasis is including SPA therapy, whose mechanism of action is only partially known, as well as very few studies examined the impact of this therapy on the quality of life. On the basis of these considerations, the research analyzed the effectiveness of SPA bath therapy (BLT) and its impact on quality of life and psychological distress in patients suffering from chronic plaque psoriasis.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was conducted on 35 patients with chronic plaque psoriasis: 23% male and 77% female; mean age:56 ± 19 years; age range:17-85 years. The subjects were treated, for 2 weeks, with sulphureous SPA bath therapy from Terme of Telese SpA (Benevento-Italy). At the beginning and at the end of the SPA treatment considered was evaluated: the itching symptom (using NRS scale); the PASI Index; the impact on quality of life (using SF-36 and DLQI questionnaires) and on psychological distress (using ZUNG -tests).
  
  
  RESULTS
  At the end of the SPA treatment, the mean values ± SD, compared to baseline, have showed a significant (p <0.01) reduction in itching symptom (1.8 ± 1.1-->1.0 ± 1.0) and PASI score (4 ± 4-->1.7 ± 2) with an improvement in quality of life and psichological distress as demonstrated by SF-36, DLQI and ZUNG tests.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The data of this research show that the sulphureous SPA bath therapy can be considered very useful in patients with mild-to-moderate psoriasis for the improving of the quality of life and social relationship.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Medicina e Chirurgia, Università degli Studi di Salerno, Italia; Associazione no profit F.I.R.S.Thermae (Form.ne Interdisciplinare, Ricerche e Scienze Termali) inserita in Anagrafe Nazionale di Ricerche del MiUR - Divis. Idrologia Medica Terme di Telese (Benevento), Italia.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Costantino
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Medicina e Chirurgia, Università degli Studi di Salerno, Italia; Associazione no profit F.I.R.S.Thermae (Form.ne Interdisciplinare, Ricerche e Scienze Termali) inserita in Anagrafe Nazionale di Ricerche del MiUR - Divis. Idrologia Medica Terme di Telese (Benevento), Italia.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Filippelli
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008900:Mineral Waters / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology*; D013455:Sulfur / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D008900:Mineral Waters; D013455:Sulfur
keywords: Zung-Test; psoriasis; psychological distress; quality of life; sulphureous SPA bath therapy