Clinical effect and safety of medicated thread moxibustion on xanthelasma palpebrarum: A retrospective cohort study

Medicated thread moxibustion (MTM), an integral component of traditional Chinese medicine, has, however, seen limited evidence regarding its application in treating xanthelasma palpebrarum (XP) in practical settings. This study was designed with the objective of evaluating both the efficacy and safety of MTM in the treatment of XP. A retrospective analysis was conducted on 79 patients with XP treated with MTM at a single center. The degree of lesion clearance, number of treatment sessions, adverse events, tolerability, and recurrence rate were assessed. By the final visit, 22 patients (28%) had achieved complete lesion clearance, while 54 patients (68%) exhibited significant improvement, with over 50% of their lesions cleared. Three patients (4.0%) experienced <50% clearance, indicating no significant therapeutic effect. The median number of treatment sessions required was 3.0, with an interquartile range of 2.0 to 5.0. Over half of the patients (51, 64.6%) achieved either excellent clearance or a satisfactory response within the initial 3 treatment sessions. Participants experienced tolerable itching or burning sensations, which obviated the need for anesthesia. No severe adverse events, including infection, atrophy, scarring, hyperpigmentation, or discoloration, were reported. However, in 3 patients (13.6%), lesions recurred within 1 year post-complete clearance. MTM suggests to be an effective and safe alternative for treating XP, featuring a low recurrence rate. Prospective randomized controlled trial studies are necessary to explore the mechanism and efficacy of this treatment method.