Homeopathic aggravation with Quinquagintamillesimal potencies.

INTRODUCTION: Homeopathic aggravation is the exacerbation of some symptoms or the whole pathological situation, followed by improvement of the patient's conditions. AIM: To evaluate the typology, intensity and frequency of homeopathic aggravation, especially with Quinquagintamillesimal (Q, LM) potencies and its prognostic value. METHODS: The homeopathic prescription strategy evaluated consists in the administration of a single homeopathic medicine in Q dilutions, starting with 6Q, then a progressive scale of Q potencies. Patients whose symptoms could be attributed to a wrong and inappropriate prescription, according to the criteria previously described, were excluded. RESULTS: Data was collected on 1108 patients consecutively visited from 3rd October 2002 to 31st December 2007, and 441 cases followed for at least 2 months (40% of total cases). 63 of these cases (14%) reported homeopathic aggravation: 7% reported 'slight', 5% 'medium', 2% 'intense' and 0.4% 'very intense' aggravation. Homeopathic aggravation was present in 21% of paediatric patients (≤ 14 years). About 50% of the cases manifested homeopathic aggravation 1 or 2 days after the prescription and for 67% of patients the symptoms lasted 1 week or less. Patients with aggravation of the original disease had significantly greater improvement than those patients showing the aggravation of other, new or different, symptoms or conditions, or no aggravation. CONCLUSIONS: These data show that homeopathic aggravation with Q potencies is quite frequent in homeopathic clinical practice and seems to be associated with better treatment outcome.

Homeopathy in paediatric atopic diseases: long-term results in children with atopic dermatitis.

AIM: To study the socio-demographic features, the prescribed remedies and the outcome of atopic diseases in children treated with homeopathy at the Homeopathic Clinic of Lucca (Italy), and the long-term outcome of children suffering from atopic dermatitis (AD) after an approximate 8-year period (range 5-10 years). METHODS: Our data derive from an observational longitudinal study carried out on 213 children (38.6%) with atopic diseases out of 551 children consecutively examined from September 1998 to December 2008. We used the Glasgow Homeopathic Hospital Outcome Score to evaluate the results that were classified on the basis of a Likert scale. RESULTS: Eighty-three (39%) children were affected by asthma, 51 (24%) by allergic rhinoconjunctivitis, 76 (36%) by AD and 3 (1%) by food intolerance. Follow-up patients were 104 (48.8%), and 65 (62.5%) of them reported a major improvement or resolution. The parents of paediatric patients suffering from AD, who had started homeopathic treatment at <4.9 years of age were invited to follow-up assessment 8 years later and 40 children (mean age 12.9) were examined; 28/40 (70%) had a complete disappearance of AD, 12/40 children (30.0%) were still affected by AD; 8/40 (20%) had asthma and 8/40 patients had, or developed, allergic rhinitis. CONCLUSION: These preliminary results seem to confirm a positive therapeutic effect of homeopathy in atopic children. Furthermore, according to the data from the literature paediatric patients treated with homeopathy seem to show a reduced tendency to maintain AD and develop asthma (and allergic rhinitis) in adult age.

Homeopathy in the public health system: a seven-year observational study at Lucca Hospital (Italy).

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the response to homeopathic treatment in a public homeopathic clinic of all patients attending between September 1998 until December 2005, and to analyze homeopathic practice. METHODS AND SETTING: Longitudinal observational study in a homeopathic clinic based in a public hospital in Lucca, Italy. Data relating to patient details, clinical diagnosis, remedy prescribed, potency of dosage, prescription strategy and identification of the case as acute-chronic-recurrent were analyzed. Clinical response was assessed by the Glasgow Homeopathic Hospital Outcome Score. RESULTS: Overall 74% of patients reported at least moderate improvement. Outcomes were better with longer treatment duration and younger age of patients. Respiratory, followed by dermatological and gastrointestinal pathologies responded best, psychological problems relatively poorly. CONCLUSIONS: Homeopathic therapy is associated with improvement in a range of chronic and recurring pathologies. Certain characteristics of patient and pathology influence the outcome.