Cost-benefit evaluation of homeopathic versus conventional therapy in respiratory diseases.

METHODS: A retrospective observational study was conducted on 105 out of 233 patients suffering from chronic respiratory disease attending the Homeopathic Clinic of the Campo di Marte Hospital in Lucca (Tuscany, Italy) between October 1998 and May 2003. We assessed the cost of conventional medicinal products using Anatomic Therapeutic Chemical (ATC) classification, specific for the pathology in question, and the general costs in the year preceding the first appointment at the Homeopathic Clinic vs. the first and second year subsequent to homeopathic treatment. The costs of conventional drugs for a group of patients affected by asthma (8 patients) and recurrent respiratory infections (16 patients) with long term use of conventional medicine treated by homeopathy were compared with the expenses of conventional drugs of a matched group of 16 and 32 patients, respectively. RESULTS: Costs of pharmacological therapy specific for respiratory diseases were reduced by 46.3% (n=105) in the first year (P<0.01); and by 47.5% (n=72) in the second year (P<0.01) of homeopathic treatment. Reduction in general drug costs during homeopathic therapy was 42.4% in the first year (P<0.01); and -49.8 in the second year (N.S.). Costs for patients affected by chronic asthma showed a reduction in expenses of 71.1% for specific medicines relative to the group in homeopathic treatment vs. an increase of 12.3% in the group treated only with conventional drugs after the first year of follow-up and, respectively, a reduction of -54.4% for homeopathic treatment vs. +45.2% after the second year. For patients with recurrent respiratory infections we found a reduction of 35.8% in the homeopathic group in the first year, compared to an increase 8.6% of costs for specific drugs in the control group; in the second year the respective figures were -43.6% versus +7.8% in the control group. CONCLUSIONS: Homeopathic treatment for respiratory diseases (asthma, allergic complaints, Acute Recurrent Respiratory Infections) was associated with a significant reduction in the use and costs of conventional drugs. Costs for homeopathic therapy are significantly lower than those for conventional pharmacological therapy.

Conociendo las propiedades del Eucalipto, ¿un alivio para la tos? / Knowing the properties of Eucalyptus, ¿a cough relief?

El eucalipto se ha empleado popularmente para tratar afecciones respiratorias. Muchas veces en nuestras consultas como médicos de familia, los pacientes con problemas respiratorios nos preguntan sobre esta práctica y sus efectos en la salud. Por esto, decidimos hacer una búsqueda de la evidencia disponible. Luego de realizar una búsqueda bibliográfica y seleccionar la evidencia más reciente y de mejor calidad, podemos decir, que el eucalipto tuvo un efecto estadísticamente significativo en comparación con el placebo en cuanto a los síntomas relacionados con la tos como así también en su frecuencia. Igualmente, concluimos que estos efectos del eucalipto sobre la tos en procesos respiratorios agudos, deberían tomarse con precaución, siempre informando a nuestros pacientes sobre la evidencia actual limitada disponible, sin olvidar las creencias de cada persona para la toma de decisiones (AU)

Eucalyptus has been popularly used to treat respiratory conditions. Many times in our consultations as family doctors, patients with respiratory problems ask us about this practice and its effects on health. For this reason, we decided to do a search of the available evidence. After conducting a literature search and selecting the most recent and best-quality evidence, we can say that eucalyptus had a statistically significant effect compared to placebo in terms of cough-related symptoms as well as their frequency . Likewise, we conclude that these effects of eucalyptus on coughing in acute respiratory processes should be taken with caution, always informing our patients about the limited current evidence available, without forgetting each person's beliefs for decision-making (AU)

[Efficiency of homoeopathic method of therapy in ambulatory practice].

The authors presented in the article the results of the use of homoeopathic method in Medical center of Ukrainian association of folk medicine for last 5 years. The analysis on efficiency of homoeopathic treatment according ICD-10 classification patients with different diseases was carried out.

Homeopatía, necesidad de una superación continua de esta modalidad terapéutica en tiempos de pandemia / Homeopathy, the need for continuous improvement of this therapeutic modality in times of pandemic

Las enfermedades respiratorias infecciosas afectan con frecuencia a los pacientes que acuden a consultas; constituyen una de las más incapacitantes e incluso, si no se atienden adecuadamente generan una evolución tórpida y pueden comprometer la vida del paciente. En su tratamiento se emplean medicamentos alopáticos, así como modalidades terapéuticas de medicina natural y tradicional. Teniendo en cuenta el desarrollo de la homeopatía en Cuba en los últimos años, se propone como objetivo enfatizar en la importancia de la superación por parte de los profesionales de la salud en el uso de esta modalidad terapéutica, a fin de utilizarla en los diferentes niveles de atención por su pertinencia en tiempos de pandemia.

Infectious respiratory diseases frequently affect patients who attend consultations; they constitute one of the most incapacitating and even, if they are not taken care properly they generate a torpid evolution and can jeopardize the life of the patient. In its treatment allopathic medications are used, as well as therapeutic modalities of herbal and folk medicine. Taking into account the development of homeopathy in Cuba in recent years, it is proposed as an objective to emphasize the importance of improvement by health professionals in the use of this therapeutic modality, in order to use it at different levels of care for its relevance in times of pandemic.

Environmental agents as cause of health disorders in children presented at an outpatient unit of environmental medicine.

There are no publications on the frequency of environmental agents causing diseases in children presented at centers of environmental medicine. The aim of this study was to perform a statistical analysis of the data of children who visited the outpatient Unit of Environmental Medicine (UEM) at the University Hospital of Aachen, Germany. Data of all UEM patient files from January 1988 to September 1996 were evaluated. From a total of 682 patients, 75 were children (40 girls, 35 boys, age range 1-12 years). Forty-six children were presented with unspecific health disorders, 12 to examine a possible relationship between environmental agents and a current condition, mostly atopy (n = 10). Complaints were mucosal irritations (n = 38), unspecific (n = 19), dermatological (n = 16), gastrointestinal (n = 4), heart/circulation-related (n = 2), musculoskeletal (n = 1) and neurological (n = 1) symptoms. Wood preservatives were mentioned as suspected environmental causative agents in 22 cases, followed by unspecific indoor factors (n = 15), factories/disposal sites near homes (n = 9), formaldehyde (n = 5) and unspecific exposures (n = 5). Biomonitoring was done in 44 cases, local inspections and ambient monitoring in 10 cases. No evidence for a cause-and-effect relationship was found in 55 children, but was deemed possible in nine cases. In nine other children, a relatively high degree of exposure was determined by chemical analysis, but clinical relevance remained unclear. One child suffered from subclinical mercury poisoning caused by inadequate homeopathic medication. In most children referred to an environmental medicine center, it is difficult or impossible to verify an environmental cause using the diagnostic instruments currently available.

Homeopathy and conventional medicine: an outcomes study comparing effectiveness in a primary care setting.

BACKGROUND: Recent meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials in homeopathy have suggested that homeopathy is more than a placebo response. OBJECTIVE: Comparison of the effectiveness of homeopathy in primary care with conventional medicine in primary care for three commonly encountered clinical conditions. DESIGN: An international multicenter, prospective, observational study in a real world medical setting comparing the effectiveness of homeopathy with conventional medicine. PARTICIPANTS: Thirty (30) investigators with conventional medical licenses at six clinical sites in four countries enrolled 500 consecutive patients with at least one of the following three complaints: (1) upper respiratory tract complaints including allergies; (2) lower respiratory tract complaints including allergies; or (3) ear complaints. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcomes criterion was the response to treatment, defined as cured or major improvement after 14 days of treatment. Secondary outcomes criteria were: (1) rate of recovery; (2) occurrence of adverse events; (3) patient satisfaction; and (4) length of consultation. RESULTS: Four hundred and fifty-six (456) patient visits were compared: 281 received homeopathy, 175 received conventional medicine. The response to treatment as measured by the primary outcomes criterion for patients receiving homeopathy was 82.6%, for conventional medicine it was 68%. Improvement in less than 1 day and in 1 to 3 days was noted in 67.3% of the group receiving homeopathy and in 56.6% of those receiving conventional medicine. The adverse events for those treated with conventional medicine was 22.3% versus 7.8% for those treated with homeopathy. Seventy-nine percent (79.0%) of patients treated with homeopathy were very satisfied and 65.1% of patients treated with conventional, medicine were very satisfied. In both treatment groups 60% of cases had consultations lasting between 5 and 15 minutes. CONCLUSIONS: Homeopathy appeared to be at least as effective as conventional medical care in the treatment of patients with the three conditions studied.

[Reactions of patients to complementary medicine].

350 patients attending 11 large out-patient clinics completed questionnaires evaluating attitudes to, and experience with complementary medicine. 129 (36%) respondents reported using complementary medicine. 14% of them used complementary medicine for the current medical problem for which they were attending the clinic. Pain was the most common medical problem for which complementary medicine was used, followed by respiratory problems and cancer. Common therapeutic modalities used were acupuncture, homeopathy, nutrition and herbal medicine. Women, the secular as opposed to the religious, and those with higher education were more apt to use complementary medicine. No differences were found in age, national origin, length of living in Israel, and diet (vegetarian, natural foods or regular diet) between those who used complementary medicine and those who did not. No relationship was found between the use of complementary medicine and perceived poor health status, locus of control, or satisfaction with the doctor-patient relationship.

Utilidad de los remedios homeopáticos en lactantes con catarro común / Use of homeopathic remedies in newborns with common cold

Introducción: El uso de la homeopatía en pacientes con enfermedades respiratorias agudas se ha incrementado durante las últimas décadas. Objetivo: Evaluar la efectividad del tratamiento homeopático en pacientes con catarro común. Métodos: Se realizó un estudio descriptivo y longitudinal de 79 lactantes con síntomas respiratorios agudos, en las edades de 1 mes a 12 meses, atendidos en la consulta de Pediatría del Policlínico Docente Ramón López Peña de Santiago de Cuba, desde noviembre del 2016 hasta igual mes del 2017. Resultados: En la serie predominaron el grupo de 7 a 9 meses y el sexo femenino; los síntomas más frecuentes fueron la obstrucción nasal y la rinorrea, y el tratamiento homeopático mayormente empleado fue el Sambucus nigra. De igual modo, en la mayoría de los niños afectados la intensidad de los síntomas respiratorios tuvo una duración de hasta 2 días. Conclusiones: Se evidenciaron resultados satisfactorios en un tiempo más corto, validados por la inexistencia de efectos secundarios y la mejoría clínica en casi la totalidad de los lactantes.

Introduction: The use of homeopathy in patients with acute respiratory diseases has been increasing during the last decades. Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of homeopathic treatment in patients with common cold. Methods: A descriptive and longitudinal study of 79 newborns with acute respiratory symptoms, with ages between 1 to 12 months, assisted in the Pediatrics service of Ramón López Peña Teaching Polyclinic of Santiago de Cuba was carried out from November, 2016 to the same month the 2017. Results: The group 7 to 9 months and the female sex prevailed in the series; the most frequent symptoms were the nasal obstruction and the runny nose, and the most used homeopathic treatment was the Sambucus nigra. In a same way, in most of the affected children the intensity of the respiratory symptoms had a duration of up to 2 days. Conclusions: Satisfactory results were evidenced in a shorter time, validated by the nonexistence of secondary effects and the clinical improvement in almost all the newborns.

Damaged goods: return to sender. A review of the historical medical records of repatriated Chinese miners.

After the Anglo-Boer (South African) War (1899-1902), there was a shortage of unskilled labor on the South African gold mines. Chinese men were imported to make up for the deficit. This article reviews the records of indentured Chinese mine workers examined for repatriation in 1905. The records tell of high proportions of social disorders, respiratory diseases, musculoskeletal disorders, opium addiction, and injury. These reflect the social and physical conditions to which these men were exposed in the mines.

Estudio piloto del efecto terapéutico de algunos medicamentos homeopáticos indicados en la rinofaringitis aguda / Pilot study of therapeutic effect of some homeopathic medicines indicated for acute nasopharyngitis

El presente trabajo tiene el objetivo de mostrar el efecto terapéutico de algunos medicamentos homeopáticos en la rinofaringitis aguda o resfriado común, enfermedad aguda de vías respiratorias superiores de tipo viral de baja patogenicidad (VRSBP) y gran incidencia en la actualidad, en una muestra piloto de tipo clínico, longitudinal y prospectiva, conformada por 22 pacientes captados en la Unidad Médica de la Escuela Nacional de Medicina y Homeopatía (ENMH) del Instituto Politécnico Nacional (IPN); 15 pacientes del sexo femenino y 7 del masculino, en un rango de entre 4 y 11 años de edad. La elección de los medicament s homeopáticos se realizó con base en lasemiología de los síntomas presentados, enfatizando particularmente en las modalidades, el color del moco, ataque al estado general y la exploración física.

This paper aims to show the therapeutic effect of some homeopathic medicines in acute nasopharyngitis or common cold , acute upper respiratory disease of viral type low pathogenic ( VRSBP ) and high incidence currently in a pilot sample clinical , longitudinal and prospective type , consisting of 22 patients recruited in the Medical Unit of the National School of Medicine and Homeopathy ( ENMH ) of the National Polytechnic Institute ( IPN) ; 15 female patients and 7 male , ranging between 4 and 11 years old. The choice of homeopathic medicament s was made based on thesemiotics of the symptoms presented , emphasizing particularly on the modalities , the color of mucus, malaise and physical examination.

Estudio piloto del efecto terapéutico de algunos medicamentos homeopáticos indicados en la rinofaringitis aguda / Pilot study of therapeutic effect of some homeopathic medicines indicated for acute nasopharyngitis

El presente trabajo tiene el objetivo de mostrar el efecto terapéutico de algunos medicamentos homeopáticos en la rinofaringitis aguda o resfriado común, enfermedad aguda de vías respiratorias superiores de tipo viral de baja patogenicidad (VRSBP) y gran incidencia en la actualidad, en una muestra piloto de tipo clínico, longitudinal y prospectiva, conformada por 22 pacientes captados en la Unidad Médica de la Escuela Nacional de Medicina y Homeopatía (ENMH) del Instituto Politécnico Nacional (IPN); 15 pacientes del sexo femenino y 7 del masculino, en un rango de entre 4 y 11 años de edad. La elección de los medicament s homeopáticos se realizó con base en lasemiología de los síntomas presentados, enfatizando particularmente en las modalidades, el color del moco, ataque al estado general y la exploración física. (AU)

This paper aims to show the therapeutic effect of some homeopathic medicines in acute nasopharyngitis or common cold , acute upper respiratory disease of viral type low pathogenic ( VRSBP ) and high incidence currently in a pilot sample clinical , longitudinal and prospective type , consisting of 22 patients recruited in the Medical Unit of the National School of Medicine and Homeopathy ( ENMH ) of the National Polytechnic Institute ( IPN) ; 15 female patients and 7 male , ranging between 4 and 11 years old. The choice of homeopathic medicament s was made based on thesemiotics of the symptoms presented , emphasizing particularly on the modalities , the color of mucus, malaise and physical examination. (AU)

International integrative primary care outcomes study (IIPCOS-2): an international research project of homeopathy in primary care.

OBJECTIVE: The primary objective is to evaluate the effectiveness of homeopathic treatment compared to conventional treatment for respiratory and ear complaints commonly seen in the primary care setting: runny nose, sore throat, ear pain, sinus pain, and cough. METHOD: This study is an international, multi-center, prospective, outcomes study on the effectiveness of homeopathic treatment compared to conventional treatment. The participating investigators will be divided into three groups: * Homeopathic treatment; * Homeopathic or conventional treatment according to the patient's preference, either randomized or non-randomized; * Conventional treatment. A total of 2400 patients will be recruited. Consecutive patients, age one month or older, presenting with one of the five chief complaints, and onset of symptoms less than seven days will be included into the study. Prior to enrolment into the trial each patient must provide written informed consent. Patient outcome will be measured using the Integrative Medicine Outcomes Scale (IMOS) at 7-, 14- and 28-d telephone follow-up. In addition, covariate data related to the following will be collected: patient demographics and medical history, patient preference for treatment and willingness to be randomized, health-related quality of life, primary treatment and adjunctive therapies prescribed, adverse events, type and length of consultation, follow-up recommendation, patient compliance, patient satisfaction with treatment, and patient willingness to choose therapy and health care provider again. The main outcome criterion will be the response rate according to the IMOS after 14 days of treatment. RESULTS: Preliminary interim results will be presented. CONCLUSIONS: Lessons learned from the study will be discussed.

Complementary and alternative medicine use in children.

OBJECTIVE: Adults frequently use complementary and alternative medicines (CAM). Few studies have reported how often CAM therapies are used to treat children. The purpose of this study is to describe the use of alternative therapies by children visiting an emergency department (ED) and to identify sociodemographic factors that may influence the decision to use such therapies. DESIGN: Survey of families using a self-administered questionnaire. SETTING: An urban, tertiary care pediatric emergency department. PARTICIPANTS: Convenience sample of families presenting to the ED for acute care. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Use of CAM therapies to treat children. Secondary measures include the type of therapies used, types of medical problems the therapies were used for, reasons for using such therapies, use of such therapies by the child's caretakers, and sociodemographic characteristics of the children and families. RESULTS: A review of 525 completed surveys identified 63 caretakers (12%) who acknowledged that they had used at least one form of CAM therapy to treat any of their children. Homeopathic and naturopathic remedies were the most common therapies used. Parents most often used CAM therapies to treat respiratory problems in their children and were most influenced by word-of-mouth. Children who were treated with CAM therapies were more likely to have a caretaker who used such therapies. Twelve (40%) of 30 families who reported using either an herbal or homeopathic remedy, also used a prescription or over-the-counter medication at the same time to treat their child. Thirty-nine of 55 families (70.9%) reported informing their child's physician of their use of CAM therapies. CONCLUSION: CAM therapies are frequently used to treat children. Most parents who use CAM therapies to treat their children use such therapies themselves. Large proportions of children who are taking herbal supplements are also taking prescription or over-the-counter medications concurrently.

Plasma beta-endorphin concentrations and analgesia-muscle relaxation in the newborn infant supported by mechanical ventilation.

We evaluated the effects of pancuronium and opiates on plasma beta-endorphin concentrations in 25 infants supported by mechanical ventilation. Infants receiving opiate were randomly assigned to receive either fentanyl or morphine. There was no change in beta-endorphin concentrations after administration of pancuronium, whereas both fentanyl and morphine reduced beta-endorphin concentrations by approximately 60%.

Medición de citoquinas en cultivos in vitro de células mononucleares de sangre periférica humana expuestos a Nux vómica homeopatizada / Measurement of cytokines in in vitro cultures of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells exposed to Nux vomica homeopatizada

El uso de medicamentos homeopáticos se ha popularizado especialmente por carecer de reacciones adversas y contraindicaciones. Nux vómica es un remedio ampliamente utilizado para tratar múltiples afecciones como alergias, trastornos digestivos, estrés y cáncer entre otros. Los numerosos estudios sobre las acciones farmacológicas de Nux vómica, no arrojan evidencia científica sobre sus efectos específicos en la respuesta inmune. Con el presente trabajo se pretende evaluar los efectos de Nux vómica homeopatizada sobre la expresión de algunas citoquinas. Materiales y Métodos: Mediante ensayo in vitro, las células mononucleares cultivadas fueron expuestas a la acción de Nux vómica diluída a la potencia 30 CH. Se determinó la viabilidad celular y se cuantificaron los niveles de las citoquinas IL 1ß, IL 2, IL 4, IL 6, IL 8 e IL 10 con el kit de inmunoensayo "Human Cytokine Magnetic 10-Plex Panel" de Invitrogen®. Resultados: Respecto a la viabilidad de los linfocitos, el efecto proliferativo no fue mayor al 11%. En cuanto a la expresión de citoquinas, solo en el caso de IL-4 se obtuvo un valor estadísticamente significativo (p< 0,001). Conclusiones: Nux vómica a la 30 CH no es citotóxica y logra estimular la cascada deseñalización intracelular. La expresión de IL 4 permite argumentar que Nux vómica es un medicamento adecuado para tratar enfermedades de tipo inflamatorio y alérgico.

Pediatria: enfermedades respiratorias / Pediatrics: respiratory diseases

Explanação dos medicamentos usados no tratamento de enfermidades respiratórias em crianças.

O itinerário terapêutico de pessoas com problemas respiratórios crônicos / The therapeutic intinerary of people with cronic respiratory problems

O estudo realizado teve como objetivo ôconhecer o itinerário terapêutico de pessoas cor problemas respiratórios crônicosõ. A orientação teórica foi o modelo de Sistema de Cuidado à Saúde d Kleinmari. Foi desenvolvida em uma instituição de saúde de Santa Catarina, com doze pessoas cor Doença Pulmonar Obstrutiva Crônica. Os dados foram obtidos através de entrevistas. A análise de dado seguiu as etapas: organização dos dados; identificação dos códigos; formação das categorias; e interpretação dos achados. O itinerário terapêutico é representado como um processo que ocorre em etapas, iniciando com a percepção de que algo mudou; seguida de várias tentativas de cuidados e tratamentos buscam resolver o problema, sempre acompanhadas de avaliações, tanto das decisões quanto dos resultados. As pessoas não se atêm a um único subsistema de cuidado à saúde, mas há predomínio do subsistem profissional. Não há linearidade no itinerário terapêutico das pessoas com DPOC...

The present study has the following objective: ôTo learn the therapeutic itinerary o people with chronic respiratory problemsõ. The theoretic orientation was KleinmanÆs Health Care System model. It was carried out in a health care institution in Santa Catarina, involving twelve people with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. The data was obtained by means of interview. The data analysis accompanied the following stages; data organization, identification of the codes, formation o categories, and interpretation of the results. Therapeutic itinerary is represented as a process which occurs in stages, beginning with the perception that something has changed. Soon after, various attempts towards health care and treatment look to resolve the problem, always closely accompanied by evaluations, as much in the making of decisions as in the results obtained. People do not limit themselves to a lone sub-system of health care; however, there is predominance towards the professional sub-system. Linearity is not present in the therapeutic itinerary of people with DPOC...

El estudio tuvo como objetivo ôConocer el itinerario terapeutico de personas con problemas respiratorios crónicosõ. La orienración teórica fue el modelo de Sistema de Cuidado a la Salud de Kleinman. Fue desarrollado en una institución de salud de Santa Catarina, en doce personas con Enfermedad Pulmonar Obstrutiva Crónica. Los datos fueron obtenidos através de entrevistas. El análisis de los datos siguió las etapas: la organización de los datos; identificación de los códigos; la formación de las categorias; e interpretación de los resultados. El itinerario terapêutico es representad como un proceso que ocorre en fases, iniciándose con la percepción de que algo cambió; luego varios intentos de cuidados y tratamientos para solucionar el problema, siempre con evaluaciones, tanto en la decisiones como de los resultados. Las personas no se atienen a un único subsistema del cuidado para la salud, sin embargo existe el predominio del subsistema profesional. No existe linearidad en el itinerario terapeutico de las personas con DPOC...

Determinación de la efectividad de la biomodulina T homeopatizada en niños asmáticos con infecciones respiratorias a repetición / Determination of the effectiveness of biomodulina T in asthmatic children with recurring respiratory infections

Se realizó un estudio transversal de intervención, randomizado, de carácter epidemiológico con una aleatorización previa de la muestra, efectuado en el Policlínico Dr. Manuel Fajardo, Mcpio. Playa, Cuba en el periódo de diciembre del 2003 a junio del 2004. El propósito de esta investigación fue conocer la efectividad de la Biomodulina T homeopatizada en niños asmaticos con infecciones respiratorias recurrentes. Para ello se estudiaron un total de 83 infantes, 51 varones y 32 hembras. Se establecieron 3 grupos de estudio: Grupo A: 28 pacientes tratados con Biomodulina T homeopatizada Grupo B: 28 pacientes tratados con Biomodulina T homeopatizada y simillimun o similar homeopático. Grupo C: 27 pacientes tratados medicamentos alopáticos convencionales. Se recogieron los antecedentes patológicos personales donde evidenciamos que los catarros recurrentes jugaron un papel importante en los tres grupos de estudio. Los exámenes complementarios indicados (leucograma completo, conteo global de eosinófilos y ecografía tímica) mostraron mejores valores para los grupos A y B, no así en los niños pertenecientes al grupo C, por su parte el abordaje empleado influyó en la presencia de sintómas y signos propios de la crisis asmática. Los criterios de exito le fueron favorables a la Biomodulina T homeopática, obteniendose mejores, resultados con el uso de este medicamento, en los parámetros estudiados, que con el uso de medicación alopática convencional