To the Editor.—
The article by Bamford and Myers in the May 1981 Archives (117:276-277) entitled "Failure of Oral Gastrointestinal Dialysis as Therapy for Psoriasis," prompted us to describe our experience with a therapeutic trial of osmotic diuresis in a patient who had psoriasis.
Report of a Case.—
A 24-year-old man under our care had suffered from extensive plaque-type psoriasis associated with intense itching since the age of 16 years. Otherwise he was in good health. Local therapy, including anthralin paste, tar preparations, and fluorinated adrenal corticosteroids (the latter applied with occlusive dressings) gave the patient only temporary relief, with rapid recurrence of the dermatitis. Informed consent was obtained from the patient and the study was approved by the local committee for Research Involving Human Subjects.On admission to the hospital, an examination of the skin showed pink-red plaques and papules covered by a prominent silvery scale on the scalp,