Research

A 60-year-old white woman presented with a history of moderate, generalized plaque psoriasis covering 10% of her body surface area (BSA). The patient began low-dose naltrexone, 4.5 mg daily. The patient's psoriatic lesions were significantly improved at 3 months, and the affected BSA had decreased from 10% to 1% after 6 months of treatment. The calculated PASI (psoriasis area severity index) score decreased from 7.2 to 0.9 after 6 months of treatment. Symptoms of pruritus also improved with naltrexone. No other adjuvant medications were used during this period. No side effects from the treatment were reported. As of this writing, the patient has continued therapy with low-dose naltrexone without any adverse effects and with continued success. Treatment of psoriasis with low-dose naltrexone may be appealing because of its low side-effect profile, low cost, and its efficacy in patients with chronic inflammatory conditions.