[Dementia in Germany: results of an interdisciplinary expert workshop]. / Demenz in Deutschland--Ergebnisse eines interdisziplinären Expertenworkshops.

In the aging population of Germany the consequences of Dementia for the society and the health care sector are complex and solutions require a multidisciplinary approach. The aim of the two-day interdisciplinary expert conference was to consider dementia from different perspectives, to identify dementia-related problems and to discuss integrative solutions under consideration of complementary therapies. In different working groups the experts developed solutions and recommendations with regards to political need, health care and future research priorities. The present recommendations profited very much from the interdisciplinary participants of the conference and brought together the expertise of different fields resulting in a comprehensive picture about dementia in Germany.

[Leeches, phytotherapy and physiotherapy in osteo-arthrosis of the knee--a geriatric case study]. / Blutegel, Phytotherapie und Physiotherapie bei Gonarthrose--eine geriatrische Fallstudie.

BACKGROUND: Chronic pain is a serious problem for geriatric patients. Conventional pharmacotherapy with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or opiates is often accompanied by serious side effects. OBJECTIVES: An 87-year-old woman with severe joint pain due to osteoarthritis of the knee presented with side effects from fentanyl therapy. She was subsequently treated in an inpatient setting with leeches, phytotherapy, physiotherapy and three single doses of metamizol. DESIGN: Prospective single-case study. OUTCOME MEASURES: Pain reduction was assessed with a numeric rating scale (0-10; 0 = minimum; 10 = maximum), mobility by walking distance, and activities of daily living by Barthel index. The association between complementary therapy and the changes observed in the patient under treatment were evaluated using cognition-based medicine. RESULTS: Under complementary therapy, the patient experienced a clear reduction in pain (from 8 to 3 points on the numeric rating scale); regained the ability to walk (increase in walking distance from 0 to 70 m); and showed improvements in activities of daily living (increase in Barthel index from 45 to 65). An association between pain reduction and the complementary treatment setting seems likely. CONCLUSION: The role of complementary pain therapy in geriatric patients should be evaluated systematically.

Reliability of Enderlein's darkfield analysis of live blood.

CONTEXT: In 1925, the German zoologist Günther Enderlein, PhD, published a concept of microbial life cycles. His observations of live blood using darkfield microscopy revealed structures and phenomena that had not yet been described. Although very little research has been conducted to explain the phenomena Dr. Enderlein observed, the diagnostic test is still used in complementary and alternative medicine. OBJECTIVE: To test the interobserver reliability and test-retest reliability of 2 experienced darkfield specialists who had undergone comparable training in Enderlein blood analysis. SETTING: Inpatient clinic for internal medicine and geriatrics. METHODS: Both observers assessed 48 capillary blood samples from 24 patients with diabetes. The observers were mutually blind and assessed their findings according to a specific item randomization list that allowed observers to specify whether Enderlein structures were visible or not. RESULTS: The interobserver reliability for the visibility of various structures was kappa = .35 (95% CI: .27-.43), the test-retest reliability was kappa = .44 (95% CI: .36-.53). CONCLUSIONS: This pilot study indicates that Enderlein darkfield analysis is very difficult to standardize and that the reliability of the diagnostic test is low.

[Bone metastases in breast carcinoma]. / Knochenmetastasen bei Mamma-Karzinom.

The case of a 66-year-old patient with multiple osteolytic bone metastases caused by breast cancer is presented. The patient refused conventional pain therapy although she suffered from severe pain. A complementary therapy with homoeopathic high potencies, devil's-claw extract, enzymes, alendronate and orthomolecular substitution as well as physiotherapy resulted in effective pain relief over a period of 1 year. The case is discussed.