Studies on the efficacy of sodium hypochlorite (hypochlorite) as a treatment for eczema
| Study | Hypochlorite group (N) | Non-hypochlorite group (N) | Response measured in hypochlorite group | Response measured in non-hypochlorite group | P-value | Follow-up duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hon T, 2015 | 20 | 20 | Reduction in affected area of SCORAD* (0.6±12.4) | Reduction in affected area of SCORAD (−5.7±15.4) | p=0.03 in favour of water for reducing area p=0.044 in favour of hypochlorite for reducing antibiotic use and corticosteroid use | 4 weeks |
| Huang JT, 2009 | 16 | 15 | †EASI (−10.4±2.8) at 1 month and (−15.3±3.8) at 3 months | EASI (−2.5±1.6) at 1 month and (−3.2±1.6) at 3 months | -p -S. aureus colonisation decreased in hypochlorite group but not significantly (sample size was too small) | 3 months |
| Wong S, 2013 | 18 | 18 | -EASI Score lowered 17 points -‡BSA: 20% reduction -S. aureus Density (−41.9% at 1 month and −53.3% at 2 months) | -EASI Score lowered 8 points -BSA: 5% reduction -S. aureus Density (−38.5% at 1 month and −18.0% at 2 months) | -p -p=0.002 for BSA in favour of hypochlorite -p>0.05 for S. aureus colonisation | 2 months |
| Ryan C, 2013 | 18 | 18 | Cross-over | -§IGA decreased from 3.5 to 2.6 -BSA reduced by mean of 16.8% | -p=0.002 for IGA in favour of hypochlorite -p=0.01 for BSA in favour of hypochlorite | 3 months |
| Gonzalez M, 2016 | 10 | 11 | S. aureus Density TCS+Hypochlorite: Log10 Amplicon copies reduced by 2.0, p=0.001 for lesional skin | S. aureus Density TCS alone: Log10 Amplicon copies reduced by 1.3, p=0.002 for lesional skin | Both the non-hypochlorite (topical steroids) and hypochlorite group decreased bacterial density from baseline but p>0.05 when comparing the 2 groups | 4 weeks |
*SCORAD=Scoring Atopic Dermatitis Index †EASI=Eczema Area and Severity Score ‡BSA=Body surface area §IGA=Investigator Global Assessment