RESUMEN
BACKGROUND: With the emergence of new variants of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) virus, such as the Omicron variant, during the third wave of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, there was a need to identify useful homeopathic medicines. This study aimed to identify such medicines and their indications using prognostic factor research (PFR). METHODS: This was an open-label, multi-centred observational study conducted in January 2022, on confirmed COVID-19 cases. The data were collected from integrated COVID Care Centres in Delhi, India, where homeopathic medicines were prescribed along with conventional treatment. Only those cases that met a set of selection criteria were considered for analysis. The likelihood ratio (LR) was calculated for the frequently occurring symptoms of the frequently prescribed medicines. An LR of 1.3 or greater was considered meaningful. RESULTS: Out of the 362 COVID-19 cases, 263 cases were selected for analysis after applying selection criteria. Common symptoms included fatigue, cough, sore throat, myalgia and headache. Twenty-one medicines were prescribed, of which nine medicines - Gelsemium sempervirens, Bryonia alba, Hepar sulphuris, Rhus toxicodendron, Pulsatilla nigricans, Arsenicum album, Belladonna, Nux vomica and Phosphorus - were frequently used. By calculating LRs, the study identified meaningful indications for these medicines. CONCLUSION: Homeopathic medicines have shown promising results in the third wave of COVID-19 as an adjunct therapy. The medicines that were used in the first and second waves were found useful in the third wave also, and their indications were analogous to those found in the earlier waves. Certain new indications of some medicines were elicited in this wave, which warrant further research. However, it is important not to restrict to these medicines only and to continue data collection on COVID-19 in future waves for the improvement of the COVID-19 mini-repertory.
RESUMEN
BACKGROUND: The clinical profile and course of COVID-19 evolved perilously in a second wave, leading to the use of various treatment modalities that included homeopathy. This prognostic factor research (PFR) study aimed to identify clinically useful homeopathic medicines in this second wave. METHODS: This was a retrospective, multi-centred observational study performed from March 2021 to May 2021 on confirmed COVID-19 cases who were either in home isolation or at COVID Care Centres in Delhi, India. The data were collected from integrated COVID Care Centres where homeopathic medicines were prescribed along with conventional treatment. Only those cases that met a set of selection criteria were considered for analysis. The likelihood ratio (LR) was calculated for the frequently occurring symptoms of the prescribed medicines. An LR of 1.3 or greater was considered meaningful. RESULTS: Out of 769 confirmed COVID-19 cases reported, 514 cases were selected for analysis, including 467 in home isolation. The most common complaints were cough, fever, myalgia, sore throat, loss of taste and/or smell, and anxiety. Most cases improved and there was no adverse reaction. Certain new symptoms, e.g., headache, dryness of mouth and conjunctivitis, were also seen. Thirty-nine medicines were prescribed, the most frequent being Bryonia alba followed by Arsenicum album, Pulsatilla nigricans, Belladonna, Gelsemium sempervirens, Hepar sulphuris, Phosphorus, Rhus toxicodendron and Mercurius solubilis. By calculating LR, the prescribing indications of these nine medicines were ascertained. CONCLUSION: Add-on use of homeopathic medicines has shown encouraging results in the second wave of COVID-19 in integrated care facilities. Further COVID-related research is required to be undertaken on the most commonly prescribed medicines.
