Comparison of the effectiveness of 30% <i>Aloe vera</i> cream and 20% urea cream as topical treatment for xerosis cutis in chronic kidney disease: a randomized clinical trial

Xerosis is a prevalent skin disorder among patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) undergoing hemodialysis (HD). While both Aloe vera cream 30% and urea cream 20% have been shown to improve skin hydration in cases of xerosis cutis, direct comparisons between the two are limited. This study aims to compare the effectiveness of both creams in treating xerosis cutis in patients with chronic kidney disease on hemodialysis (CKD-HD). A randomized controlled trial was conducted involving 35 eligible CKD-HD patients. Each patient received either urea cream 20% or A. vera cream 30%, which was applied to both their left and right arms. Skin moisture was assessed weekly using corneometer readings and overall dry skin (ODS) scores over 4 weeks. The present study reveals that both treatments significantly increased corneometer readings and decreased ODS scores compared to baseline (p<0.05), but no significant difference was found between the two creams (p>0.05). In conclusion, A. vera cream 30% and urea cream 20% demonstrate similar effectiveness in improving skin moisture for patients with xerosis cutis associated with CKD-HD.