Abstract
This study evaluates the therapeutic effect of acitretin capsules combined with a cooling blood and detoxifying formula (CBDF) on psoriasis hemorrhagic fever and its impact on the gut microbiota (GM). Seventy patients diagnosed with psoriasis hemorrhagic fever between January 2022 and April 2023 were divided into 2 groups: an experimental group (EG) treated with acitretin capsules and the CBDF, and a control group treated with acitretin capsules alone. The study assessed immune inflammatory responses, symptom improvement, traditional Chinese medicine symptom scores, and changes in GM diversity and abundance before and after treatment. After 2 months, the EG showed significant reductions in interleukin-2 receptor levels (from 813.2 ± 201.5-402.3 ± 111.2 mg/L) and interleukin-6 (from 8.4 ± 3.1-3.8 ± 1.7 pg/mL). The quality of life index improved by 6.12 points in the EG, which was significantly better than the control group (P < .05). PASI scores decreased in both groups, with the EG showing greater improvement (PASI before treatment: 23.1 ± 4.3; after 1 month: 15.6 ± 3.8; after 2 months: 10.4 ± 3.3). The EG also showed a significant increase in GM diversity after treatment (P < .05). Acitretin capsules combined with the CBDF is effective in treating psoriasis hemorrhagic fever and positively affects the GM, offering a potential new treatment approach.