| Popis: |
The objective of the study is to evaluate the response to homeopathic treatment and analyse homeopathic practice in a public homeopathic clinic for 1715 patients visited consecutively from September 1998 until December 2005. Data from homeopathic consultations were analysed; these comprised patient details, clinical diagnosis, remedy prescribed, potency of dosage, prescription strategy and identification of the case as acute-chronic-recurrent. The clinical response was assessed by applying the GHHOS (Glasgow Homeopathic Hospital Outcome Score) according to a percentage of symptom regression reported by the patient by means of a visual analogue scale. Statistical analysis was performed using the statistical package Stata SE (Version 9.0). Chi Square test was used to assess the association of variables. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed in order to investigate factors associated with successful therapy (significant improvement or resolution—values 3 and 4 of the GHHOS scale in contrast to GHHOS scale values of ⩽2). Results: Homeopathic therapy was effective in 91% of the cases, with 51% of patients reporting a significant improvement or resolution of the clinical picture (Average Outcome of 2.3): 19% with resolution, 31% with important amelioration (+3 score GHHOS), 24% with good amelioration (+2), 17% with slight amelioration (+1). The results of homeopathic therapy in patients in follow-up generally achieve a good improvement as there is an extremely low percentage of failure (9.0%) and a slight aggravation of symptoms (0.3%). There were no significant differences of homeopathic efficacy for sex and previous use of homeopathic therapies. Amelioration is significantly associated with: age ( p=0.001 ), with the best results in the youngest patients; the follow-up duration ( p ), from 30% with 2 months of follow-up to 86% with 24 months or more of follow-up; and the pathology (respiratory, cardio-circulatory, dermatological, ostetrico-gynecological) under homeopathic treatment ( p=0.019 ). Respiratory pathologies have an important amelioration in 36% and resolution in 27% of the cases. In digestive and dermatological pathologies, important amelioration and resolution of symptoms occurred in 51% of the cases; the successful results are strongly correlated with the age and are more frequent under 15 years of age. Worst results are in psychological pathologies with 8% resolution and 2% aggravation, with 29% good amelioration. |
Full Text from ScienceDirect