Herbal Treatment for Pediatric Psoriasis: A Case Report 儿童银屑病
Patient Information:
• Age: 12 years old
• Chief Complaint: Acute rashes with raised, red papules covered with silvery scales symmetrically distributed on the face, scalp, trunk, and legs
Presentation:
The patient, brought by his mother who is undergoing eczema treatment at our clinic, presented with numerous raised, red papules covered with silvery scales symmetrically distributed on various body parts. Provisional diagnosis of psoriasis was given due to the appearance of the lesions.
Medical History:
The patient’s psoriasis plaques started four months ago after a high fever and cough, with PCR Covid testing returning negative. Otherwise, the patient is in good health.
Treatment Regimen:
Herbal Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) tailored compounds were administered as the front-line therapy, along with topical Yufu cream for itchiness relief.
Progression:
• Baseline to Month 2: Some improvement was observed in the skin condition with reduced redness and blemishes, although visible lesions persisted.
• Month 4: Further improvement was noted with fewer red lesions and decreased inflammation. The skin texture became slightly smoother, although some areas of roughness remained.
• Month 8: Significant improvement was observed with almost no visible psoriasis lesions and minimal redness. The skin texture became very smooth and even, with no signs of inflammation.
Figure. Back The initial image shows severe psoriasis with numerous raised papules covering the back and legs, the psorisis plaques are red with well-defined edges. Following the treatment, there was an escalation in both the size and quantity of inflamed papules, and certain skin areas appeared crusty and scaly. However, as the treatment progressed, the individual papules began to merge, resulting in reduced inflammation while still retaining noticeable redness. Remarkably, by the end of the treatment, there was significant improvement, with almost no visible inflammation or redness. The back and legs now appear smooth, albeit with faint outlines where the lesions were previously present.
Conclusion:
The herbal TCM treatment regimen proved to be effective in treating pediatric psoriasis, achieving significant improvement in lesion appearance and skin texture. Unlike conventional immunosuppressant treatments, herbal TCM compounds did not result in side effects or rebound flares upon discontinuation. This case highlights the potential of herbal medicine as a safe and effective alternative for managing pediatric psoriasis as first line therapy.
Privacy
In situations where the disease information had already been made publicly available (as evidenced by prior articles), genuine names of individuals have been utilized. Conversely, in instances where there was no pre-existing public disclosure or at the explicit request of patients for privacy, pseudonyms have been employed. Furthermore, identities have been deliberately obscured, and certain contextual details and diagnoses have been modified to hinder any attempts at identification. It is essential to emphasize that the patients and encounters described in this work are authentic, and their consent for publication was duly obtained. As responsible authors, we earnestly implore all our readers to honor the privacy and confidentiality of these individuals. Additionally, certain scenarios, assessments, and clinical interventions have been altered to safeguard the anonymity of both patients and healthcare providers.