Sliding cupping therapy was associated with similar short-term improvements in plaque psoriasis as narrowband ultraviolet B phototherapy in a small randomized controlled trial.
In the study, 60 patients with plaque psoriasis were randomly assigned to receive sliding cupping or narrowband ultraviolet B (NBUVB) three times weekly for 8 weeks. By week 8, mean Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) scores decreased by 62% in the cupping group and 67% in the NBUVB group, with no statistically significant differences between groups.
Among patients who completed the 8-week assessment, 69% and 79%, respectively, achieved at least a 30% improvement in PASI scores, also without statistically significant differences.
Across both groups, PASI scores, body surface area involvement, Physician’s Global Assessment scores, and itch severity improved over time, with comparable results between treatments. Dermatology Life Quality Index scores improved, while patient-reported quality of life did not significantly change. Adverse events were mild and infrequent, and no serious adverse events were reported.
Sliding cupping involves applying suction cups to the skin and moving them across affected areas to create localized negative pressure, a technique commonly used in traditional Chinese medicine. The researchers suggested that cupping therapy may influence inflammatory pathways, though these mechanisms were not directly evaluated in the study.
The findings should be interpreted cautiously. The trial was small, conducted at a single center, and limited to short-term follow-up, although some outcomes were assessed through 12 weeks. In addition, baseline disease severity was relatively modest, and the study population was predominantly Chinese. The trial was not fully blinded, and sliding cupping is operator-dependent, which may affect generalizability and reproducibility.
Overall, the results indicated that sliding cupping and NBUVB were associated with similar short-term clinical outcomes in this study, without demonstrating formal equivalence or noninferiority. Larger, longer-term studies are needed to clarify the role of cupping therapy in psoriasis treatment.
The researchers reported no funding and no conflicts of interest.
Source: Medicine
