Effects of homeopathic intervention on medication consumption in atopic and allergic disorders.

CONTEXT: Allergies are the most common immunologic diseases among the general population. Increasing evidence suggests that the incidence of allergic disorders is rising dramatically. Conventional medicine provides only limited relief and does not offer a complete cure to this health problem. Consequently, patients seek additional approaches and therapies to integrate into their healthcare. Homeopathy is one of the leading complementary modalities used to treat this health problem. OBJECTIVE: This preliminary study assessed the effect of integrating homeopathic treatment in allergic diseases on conventional medication consumption in a health maintenance organization. DESIGN: Retrospective outcome study designed as a before-after trial. SETTING: Patients were studied in a complementary medicine clinic affiliated with an Israeli health maintenance organization. PARTICIPANTS: Forty-eight patients were treated for allergic diseases with homeopathic remedies and conventional medications. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: A computerized medication chart for each patient was evaluated for conventional medication consumption 3 months before and 3 months after the homeopathic intervention. Each patient served as his or her own control. RESULTS: Fifty-six percent of patients in this study reduced their use of conventional medication following the homeopathic intervention. Patients who used conventional medications for their allergic disorders reduced their medication expense by an average of 60%, with an average savings of $24 per patient in the 3-month period following the homeopathic intervention. CONCLUSIONS: This retrospective outcome study demonstrates cost savings for an Israeli health maintenance organization. The homeopathic intervention led to a modest but significant reduction in the use of medications commonly used to treat allergic conditions and their complications. Larger controlled studies are needed to verify these findings.

Abordagem homeopática no tratamento das doenças alérgicas / Homeopathic approach in the treatment of allergic diseases

Nos últimos anos houve um aumento significativo das doenças alérgicas na população em escala mundial afetando a qualidade de vida dos pacientes atópicos. Neste contexto, a Homeopatia permite equilibrar e compensar funcionalmente o paciente atópico conduzindo-o a ser capaz de suportar o grande aporte de elementos antigênicos a que está exposto. Assim, este trabalho consiste em uma revisão sistemática de literatura com o objetivo de apresentar a abordagem terapêutica da Homeopatia no tratamento das diversas doenças alérgicas a partir da análise de estudos publicados sobre o tema. A busca dos estudos que compuseram a revisão foi realizada na base de dados HomeoIndex da Biblioteca Virtual em Saúde Homeopatia Brasil (BVS Homeopatia), sendo encontrado o total de 28 estudos, dos quais 14 estudos foram incluídos na revisão sistemática. O estudo permite considerar a importância das características do "terreno" do paciente, do uso do medicamento simillimum na abordagem homeopática das doenças alérgicas, bem como apresenta o uso de medicamentos agudos, nosódios e organoterápicos como recursos válidos, conforme cada caso. Além disso, considera-se que a Homeopatia pode ser uma opção de terapia complementar e alternativa da abordagem das doenças alérgicas contribuindo para otimização do tratamento convencional e redução do uso das medicações alopáticas e seus efeitos adversos.

In recent years, there has been a significant increase in allergic diseases worldwide, affecting the quality of life of atopic patients. In this context, Homeopathy allows for the functional balance and compensation of atopic patients, enabling them to withstand the large influx of antigenic elements to which they are exposed. Thus, this work consists of a systematic literature review with the aim of presenting the therapeutic approach of Homeopathy in the treatment of various allergic diseases based on the analysis of published studies on the subject. The search for studies that formed the review was carried out in the HomeoIndex database of the Virtual Health Library Homeopathy Brazil (BVS Homeopathy), with a total of 28 studies found, of which 14 studies were included in the systematic review. The study highlights the importance of the patient's "terrain" characteristics, the use of the simillimum medicine in the homeopathic approach to allergic diseases, as well as the use of acute medicines, nosodes, and organotherapeutics as valid resources, depending on each case. Additionally, it is considered that Homeopathy can be a complementary and alternative therapy option for the management of allergic diseases, contributing to the optimisation of conventional treatment and reduction of the use of allopathic medications and their adverse effects.

Use of ultramolecular potencies of allergen to treat asthmatic people allergic to house dust mite: double blind randomised controlled clinical trial.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy of homoeopathic immunotherapy on lung function and respiratory symptoms in asthmatic people allergic to house dust mite. DESIGN: Double blind randomised controlled trial. SETTING: 38 general practices in Hampshire and Dorset. PARTICIPANTS: 242 people with asthma and positive results to skin prick test for house dust mite; 202 completed clinic based assessments, and 186 completed diary based assessments. INTERVENTION: After a four week baseline assessment, participants were randomised to receive oral homoeopathic immunotherapy or placebo and then assessed over 16 weeks with three clinic visits and diary assessments every other week. OUTCOME MEASURE: Clinic based assessments: forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV(1)), quality of life, and mood. DIARY BASED ASSESSMENTS: morning and evening peak expiratory flow, visual analogue scale of severity of asthma, quality of life, and daily mood. RESULTS: There was no difference in most outcomes between placebo and homoeopathic immunotherapy. There was a different pattern of change over the trial for three of the diary assessments: morning peak expiratory flow (P=0.025), visual analogue scale (P=0.017), and mood (P=0.035). At week three there was significant deterioration for visual analogue scale (P=0.047) and mood (P=0.013) in the homoeopathic immunotherapy group compared with the placebo group. Any improvement in participants' asthma was independent of belief in complementary medicine. CONCLUSION: Homoeopathic immunotherapy is not effective in the treatment of patients with asthma. The different patterns of change between homoeopathic immunotherapy and placebo over the course of the study are unexplained.