Auricular acupressure as a complementary therapy for psoriasis vulgaris: study protocol for a multicenter randomized controlled trial

INTRODUCTION: Psoriasis vulgaris is a common skin disease characterized by persistent localized erythematous scaly plaques, typically on the elbows, knees, and scalp. It is an immune-abnormal disease that progresses slowly over a long period with frequent symptom recurrence. Current studies have shown that acupuncture is an effective therapy for psoriasis. However, the scientific evidence of the efficacy of auricular acupressure treatment for patients with psoriasis is still insufficient. Therefore, we designed a randomized controlled clinical trial to investigate the effect, safety, and cost-effectiveness of auricular acupressure in addition to medication in patients with psoriasis. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This on-going study is a two-arm parallel, assessor-blinded, randomized controlled trial in which 180 participants with psoriasis will be recruited and then randomly allocated into two groups in a 1:1 ratio. Equal randomization will be conducted using a computer-generated random allocation sequence. Participants in the intervention group will receive auricular acupressure treatment once per week for 4 weeks, and calcipotriol betamethasone ointment for topical use once daily for 4 weeks. Participants in the control group will receive only calcipotriol betamethasone ointment treatment once daily for 4 weeks. All patients will be followed up for 12 weeks. The primary outcome is relapse rate. The secondary outcomes include time to relapse, rebound rate, time to new onset, Psoriasis Area and Severity Index score improvement rate, body surface area affected, a visual analogue scale, and Dermatology Life Quality Index. Cost-effectiveness analysis will be carried out from a health and community care provider perspective. DISCUSSION: This multicenter randomized controlled trial will provide important clinical evidence for the effect and safety of auricular acupressure as a complementary therapy in patients with psoriasis. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, ChiCTR-TRC-14004916. Registered on 20 May 2014. This protocol is version 3.0 which was updated on 24 September 2016. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (10.1186/s13063-019-3475-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.