Effect of homoeopathic medicines on daily burden of symptoms in children with recurrent upper respiratory tract infections

BMJ 1994;309:1329-1332 (19 November)

Papers

Effect of homoeopathic medicines on daily burden of symptoms in children with recurrent upper respiratory tract infections

E S M de Lange de Klerk, J Blommers, D J Kuik, P D Bezemer, L Feenstra

Vakgroep Epidemiologie en Biostatistiek, Faculteit der Geneeskunde, Vrije Universiteit, 108 1 BT Amsterdam, Netherlands UZ Sint Rafael, Kapucijnenvoer 7, Dienst ORL, 3000 Leuven, Belgium . Correspondence to: Dr de Lange de Klerk.

Abstract

Objective : To investigate the intrinsic effects of individuallyprescribed homoeopathic medicines.
Design : Randomised double blind placebo controlled study.
Setting : Paediatric outpatient department of university hospital.
Patients : 175 children with frequently recurring upper respiratorytract infections. Of the 170 children evaluable, 86 were randomisedto homoeopathic medicines (47 boys, 39 girls; median age atstart 4.2 years; median number of episodes in past year 4) and84 to placebo (43 boys, 41 girls; median age at start 3.6 years;median number of episodes in past year 4).
Main outcome measures : Mean score for daily symptoms, numberof antibiotic courses, and number of adenoidectomies and tonsillectomiesover one year of follow up.
Results : The mean daily symptom score was 2.61 in the placebogroup and 2.21 in the treatment group (difference 0.41; 95%confidence interval -0.02 to 0.83). In both groups the use ofantibiotics was greatly reduced compared with that in the yearbefore entering the trial (from 73 to 33 in the treatment groupand from 69 to 43 in the placebo group). The proportion of childrenin the treatment group having adenoidectomies was lower in thetreatment group (16%, 8/50) than in the placebo group (21%,9/42). The proportion having tonsillectomies was the same inboth groups (5%).
Conclusion : Individually prescribed homoeopathic medicinesseem to add little to careful counselling of children with recurrentupper respiratory tract infection in reducing the daily burdenof symptoms, use of antibiotics, and need for adenoidectomyand tonsillectomy.

Clinical implications

Clinical implications
Some children suffer more and longer episodes caused by upper respiratory tract infections than their peers
Homoeopathic doctors claim success in the treatment of such children
In this study the small difference in symptom score found in favour of the homoeopathic medicines was not significant
Antibiotic use was reduced greatly in both groups, but slightly more in the treatment group
Homoeopathic medicines produce no clinically relevant improvement in recurrent upper respiratory tract infection

Add to CiteULike CiteULike Add to Complore Complore Add to Connotea Connotea Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us Add to Digg Digg Add to Reddit Reddit Add to Technorati Technorati What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

Bellavite, P., Ortolani, R., Pontarollo, F., Piasere, V., Benato, G., Conforti, A. (2006). Immunology and Homeopathy. 4. Clinical Studies--Part 2. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med 3: 397-409 [Abstract] [Full text]
Carr, R. R., Nahata, M. C. (2006). Complementary and alternative medicine for upper-respiratory-tract infection in children. Am J Health Syst Pharm 63: 33-39 [Abstract] [Full text]
Subcommittee on Management of Sinusitis and Commit, (2001). Clinical Practice Guideline: Management of Sinusitis. Pediatrics 108: 798-808 [Abstract] [Full text]
Rampes, H. (1995). Power of study was not estimated. BMJ 310: 257-257 [Full text]
Fisher, P., Reilly, D., Spence, D., Ratsey, D., Rose, B., English, J. (1995). Homoeopathy for recurrent upper respiratory tract infections. BMJ 310: 256b-256 [Full text]
Vickers, A. (1995). Use of daily symptom score not validated. BMJ 310: 256c-257 [Full text]