Individualized homeopathic treatment in addition to conventional treatment in type II diabetic patients in Hong Kong - a retrospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: Glycaemic goals are not achieved in most patients with type II diabetes mellitus (T2DM), especially in those with long disease duration and taking multiple oral antidiabetic drugs (OAD). We aimed to investigate the effectiveness of individualized homeopathic treatment in glycaemic control. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. SETTING: At least 6 months of individualized homeopathic treatment at a private homeopathic centre in Hong Kong. PARTICIPANTS: Twenty-seven adults aged 37-84 years were treated with individualized homeopathic remedies between 2012 and 2015. Published data on 40 T2DM patients under standard conventional treatment in Hong Kong were used as a control. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Change in fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) at 12-month or the last follow-up, whichever is earlier. RESULTS: Compared with the conventional treatment only group, the homeopathy group had higher baseline FPG (p = 0.044), and more patients had a long (>20 years) duration of diabetes (p = 0.006), and a history of cardiac events (p = 0.022). The mean difference in FPG in the homeopathy group was significantly greater than in the control after 12 months: -2.24 mmol/L (95% confidence interval [CI]: -3.47 to -1.01) vs 0.16 mmol/L (95% CI: -1.72 to 2.04), p = 0.001. The mean difference in glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) was also significantly greater, -1.11% (95% CI: -2.17 to -0.05) vs 0.08% (95% CI: -1.37 to 1.53), p = 0.046. Poorer baseline glycaemic control was associated with better outcome (r = -0.750, p < 0.001), but not the duration of diabetes (r = 0.058, p = 0.772). The improvement was robust to sensitivity analyses. CONCLUSION: Individualized homeopathic treatment was associated with better glycaemic control compared with standard conventional treatment alone.

A hospital-based study on complementary and alternative medicine use among diabetes patients in Rajshahi, Bangladesh.

BACKGROUND: The use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) among type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients is increasing worldwide. It can affect optimum glycemic management. This study was to determine the rate and influencing factors of CAM use among diabetes patients as well as their effect on glycemic control. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted among T2DM patients attending the outpatient department of Rajshahi Medical College Hospital. It is a tertiary hospital in the northern part of Bangladesh. A face-to-face interview with a pretested structured questionnaire was used for data collection. Chi-square (χ2) test and multivariate logistic regression model were used in this study for data analysis. RESULTS: Out of 244 T2DM patients, 86 (35.2%) used CAM. Multivariate logistic regression model showed that lower family income group (AOR = 8.7, 95% CI: 2.15-35.22, p-value 0.002), having no institutional education (AOR = 3.4, 95% CI: 1.17-9.87, p-value 0.025) and having diabetes for more than five years (AOR = 2.821, 95% CI: 1.34-5.94, p-value 0.006) were the most influential predictors of CAM use. The most commonly used CAMs were herbal products (67.4%) and homeopathic medicine (37.2%). Most of the CAM users (72%) were influenced by friends, neighbors, and family members. The most common reasons behind CAM use were reported to be the belief that CAM helped control diabetes better (44.2%) and easy availability and lower cost (27.9%). More than half of the users reported the efficacy of CAM as 'nothing significant', while others reported as somewhat good. 14% of CAM users experienced side-effects, especially gastrointestinal upset. It was observed that using CAM was associated with poor glycemic control (AOR = 2.25, 95% CI: 1.14-4.44, p-value 0.018). CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrated that some modifiable factors are associated with the use of CAM, and it cannot maintain good glycemic control. So, patients should be made aware of the ineffectiveness and bad effects of CAM by enhancing educational and poverty-alleviating programs.

National patterns and correlates of complementary and alternative medicine use in adults with diabetes.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine national patterns and correlates of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use among adults with diabetes. METHODS: The authors compared CAM use in 2474 adults with and 28,625 adults without diabetes who participated in the most comprehensive national survey on CAM use (2002 National Health Interview Survey). Eight CAM use categories were created, including dietary, herbal, chiropractic, yoga, relaxation, vitamin, prayer, and other (acupuncture, Ayurveda, biofeedback, chelation, energy healing or Reiki therapy, hypnosis, massage, naturopathy, and homeopathy). An overall CAM use category also was created that excluded vitamins and prayer. Patterns of use were compared with chi-square and independent correlates of CAM use with multiple logistic regression controlling for relevant covariates. STATA was used for analysis to account for the complex survey design. RESULTS: Prevalence of overall use of CAM did not differ significantly by diabetes status (47.6 versus 47.9%, p = 0.81). Diabetes was not an independent predictor of overall use of CAM (OR 0.93, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.83, 1.05). However, persons with diabetes were more likely to use prayer (OR 1.19, 95% CI 1.05, 1.36), but less likely to use herbs (OR 0.86, 95% CI 0.75, 0.99), yoga (OR 0.56, 95% CI 0.43, 0.72), or vitamins (OR 0.82, 95% CI 0.72, 0.93) than people without diabetes after controlling for relevant covariates. Independent correlates of overall use of CAM differed by age, income, employment, comorbidity, and health status between people with and without diabetes. CONCLUSIONS: This study found that there has been a dramatic increase in overall use of CAM in adults with diabetes; diabetes was not an independent predictor of overall use of CAM; and people with diabetes were more likely to use prayer, but less likely to use herbs, yoga, or vitamins compared to persons without diabetes.

Use of complementary medicine amongst diabetic patients in a public primary care clinic in Ipoh.

The use of Complementary Medicine (CM) amongst diabetic patients attending the Diabetes/Hypertension, Clinic. Out Patient Department, Ipoh Hospital was studied: Forty-three patients were selected by systematic random sampling (1:5) over a one-week period starting 5/12/01. Data were collected by patient interview, from medical records and through a questionnaire. 56% were using CM together with conventional therapy. Most commonly used were herbal therapy, homeopathy and reflexology. The majority took CM daily with a mean duration of 7 years. Over half had subjective relief of pain with increased energy. Patients on CM or conventional therapy both showed poorly controlled FBS levels. There is a need to assess the effect of these therapies on diabetic outcome.

[The use of homeopathy in treating diabetics]. / Primenenie gomeopatii v lechenii bol'nykh sakharnym diabetom.

The rationale of homeopathic treatment of diabetes mellitus (DM) with constitutional predisposition is discussed. On the basis of a detailed analysis of one case the author describes the method of homeopathic treatment of diabetes mellitus. The treatment is orientated not only on the treatment of DM but also of concomitant diseases with emphasis in the patients constitution. Minimal doses of homeopathic treatment used in 68 patients resulted in a statistically valid stable reduction of hyperglycemia and glucosuria. Stable subcompensation and compensation of DM allowed to decrease the dose of sugar reducing drugs.

Guatteria gaumeri, Malmea depressa o Yumel, una revisión sobre su historia, sus propiedades y su uso en la homeopatía / Guatteria gaumeri, Malmea depressa or yumel, a review of its history, its properties and its use in homeopathy

El elemuy, Guatteria gaumeri o Malmea depressa es un árbol que habita en México y Centroamérica, y que debido a las propiedades medicinales de su corteza y su raíz ha sido aprovechado desde la época prehispánica para atender afecciones renales, diabetes mellitus tipo II e hipercolesterolemia, entre otras enfermedades. A principios del siglo XX llamó la atención del médico homeópata mexicano Manuel A. Lizama, quien probó su uso durante una década y registró sus observaciones en el Prontuario de materia médica, publicado en 1913. Desde entonces se han realizado diversas investigaciones dentro y fuera del ámbito homeopático que han confirmado y precisado cuál es la acción medicamentosa de la alfa-asarona y otros componentes del elemuy, pero también han sugerido nuevos atributos que sería conveniente comprobar o descartar a través de estudios científicos. El presente texto hace un recorrido por algunos de los artículos representativos que se han generado sobre la Guatteria gaumeri o Malmea depressa, con la finali ad de que médicos, estudiantes e investigadores actualicen o mejoren sus conocimientos. (AU)

The Elemuy, Guatteria gaumeri or Malmea depressa is a tree that grows in Mexico and Central America, and because of the medicinal properties of his bark and roots, it has been used since pre-hispanic times to treat kidney disease, type II diabetes mellitus and hypercholesterolemia, among other diseases. In the early twentieth century it drew the attention of Dr. Manuel A. López a Mexican homeopath, who proved it´s use for a decade and recorded his observations at the Prontuario de Materia Medica, published in 1913. Since then there have been performed several research works into, and out of the homeopathic field that have confirmed and specified the pharmacological action of the alpha-asarone among other components of the Elemuy, but also, new pharmacological properties have been suggested that it would be important to test through scientific works. This text takes us through some representative articles that have been generated on the Guatteria gaumeri or Malmea depressa, in order that doctors, students and researchers update or improve their knowledge about this theme. (AU)

Un caso de Diabetes Mellitus tipo 2 con ataque de gota tratada con terapéutica homeopática / A case of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus with gout treated with homeopathic therapy

El presente trabajo tiene la finalidad de demostrar que los medicamentos homeopáticos son eficaces para controlar enfermedades como la Diabetes Mellitos y la Gota

Uso de medicina tradicional en diabetes mellitus no insulino-dependiente / Use of traditional medicine in non insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus

Objetivos: determinar el uso de la medicina tradicional los pacientes con Diabetes Mellitus No Insulino Dependiente (DMNID) en el Servicio de Endocrinología del Hospital Nacional Guillermo Almenara Irigoyen(HNGAI). Métodos: evaluación por encuesta de 102 pacientes atendidos durante los meses de mayo y junio de 1996 en el Consultorio Externo del Servicio de Endocrinología del HNGAI. Resultados: 68,6 por ciento de los pacientes utilizaron alguna medicina tradicional, sin diferencia entre los sexos, siendo la más utilizadas la Gentianella arborocea, la Uncaria sp, y la Cyclanthera pedata. De estos pacientes, el 73 por ciento utilizó 2 o más productos, y el 60 por ciento refirió efecto favorable. El uso de la medicina tradicional no se encontró asociado al tratamiento con dieta, tabletas o insulina. Conclusiones: es frecuente el uso de la medicina tradicional por el paciente con DMNID, siendo este uso desconocido por el médico, y aun cuando no se ha demostrado científicamente efecto favorable de estas medicinas, es que los pacientes hacen uso de una gran diversidad de ellos. Se hace necesario el estudio de estos productos, para demostrar su utilidad o no en el manejo de la DMNID.