Complementary Medicine Research最新文献

{"title":"Yoga Asana Increases Pre-Frontal Cortex Activity and Reduces Resting State Functional Connectivity.","authors":"Michelle Goodrick, Eleazar Samuel Kolosovas-Machuca, Edgar Guevara","doi":"10.1159/000545381","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1159/000545381","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Various aspects of yoga have been researched for their psychological benefits, yet the neurological mechanisms underlying physical yoga postures (asana) remain inadequately explored due to limitations in prior neuroimaging techniques. The pre-frontal cortex (PFC) has been established as an important region of interest (ROI) concerning psychological health. Therefore, this study aimed to characterize changes in the PFC before, during and after asana by applying the functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) mobile neuroimaging technique.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Twenty-seven healthy adults completed two 6-minute, task-independent resting-states before and after a 23-minute asana routine. With the fNIRS device positioned on the frontal region of the skull, PFC activity was measured during each asana and resting state. The block design involved alternating between three active postures and one control posture. Each active posture was performed for 30 seconds and repeated 8 times, while the control posture was held during inter-trial intervals lasting 25-30 seconds. Across the session, this block design resulted in a total of 24 active blocks (8 repetitions of each active posture) and 25 baseline blocks (control posture intervals).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>All three active asanas significantly increased PFC activity versus baseline, particularly in the right PFC. Furthermore, analysis of short-term changes in resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) revealed a significant decrease, primarily in the left medial prefrontal cortex (PFC), a key region of the default mode network (DMN), an area known to exhibit heightened activity in individuals suffering from depression and anxiety Conclusion: This study provides neurological insight into the effects of yoga asana and supports fNIRS for assessing movement-based practices in real-world settings.</p>","PeriodicalId":10541,"journal":{"name":"Complementary Medicine Research","volume":" ","pages":"1-17"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2025-03-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143751303","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Society Bulletins · Gesellschaftsmitteilungen.","authors":"","doi":"10.1159/000545096","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1159/000545096","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":10541,"journal":{"name":"Complementary Medicine Research","volume":"32 2","pages":"182-186"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2025-03-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143729153","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Does manual acupuncture improve gastro-esophageal reflux disease symptoms? A trial sequential meta-analysis.","authors":"Jinjin Yin, Ming Yin, Tianwen Liu, Shumin Qin","doi":"10.1159/000544956","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1159/000544956","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>The role of acupuncture in treating gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD) has been previously investigated; however, it's unclear whether manual acupuncture is effective for treating GERD. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of manual acupuncture in treating GERD.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Potentially eligible studies were identified from PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Central Registry for Controlled Trials(CENTRAL), China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), and Chinese Biomedical Literature database (Sinomed). Sensitivity analysis was conducted through excluding low-quality studies. Subgroup analysis was performed according to different proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) and treatment duration. Certainty of evidence was rated using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluations (GRADE) framework.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Based on 504 records, 12 relevant studies was included in our meta-anaysis. Trial sequential analysis confirmed that manual acupuncture improved symptom scores (mean difference [MD]=-3.43, 95% CI=-5.14 to -1.73, I2=88%, P<0.001, very low evidence) and reduced recurrence rates (risk ratio [RR]=0.32, 95% confidence interval=0.16 to 0.64, I2=0%, P=0.001, very low evidence). Although meta-analysis showed no difference in adverse events between manual acupuncture and PPIs (RR=0.38, 95% CI=0.09 to 1.58, I2=0%, P=0.18, very low evidence), TSA revealed extremely insufficient statistical power. Furthermore, the global symptom improvement rate was lower with acupuncture compared to PPIs (RR=1.22, 95%CI=1.14 to 1.30, I2=18%, P<0.001, low evidence). Sensitivity analysis demonstrated the robustness of results. Subgroup analysis suggested the therapeutic effects of manual acupuncture alone irrespective of categories of PPIs and treatment duration.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Manual acupuncture has the potential to alleviate the severity of symptoms and decrease the recurrence rate in patients with GERD. However, considering the efficacy of PPI therapy in significantly improving overall symptoms, along with its established safety profile and extensive clinical utilization over the years, we do not recommend manual acupuncture alone as the primary treatment for patients with GERD.</p>","PeriodicalId":10541,"journal":{"name":"Complementary Medicine Research","volume":" ","pages":"1-20"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2025-03-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143699874","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Development and Validation of the PREVESMED Questionnaire: A Comprehensive Tool for Assessing Adherence to a Mediterranean Lifestyle.","authors":"Giuseppe Di Lorenzo, Carlo Buonerba, Raffaele Baio, Eleonora Monteleone, Francesco Passaro, Antonio Tufano, Vittorino Montanaro, Vittorio Riccio, Ilaria Gallo, Francesca Cappuccio, Oriana Strianese, Roberta Zarrella, Anna Buonocore, Federica Monaco, Antonio Verde, Giovanni Riccio, Valentina Izzo, Federica Fortino, Ferdinando Costabile, Luca Scafuri","doi":"10.1159/000543959","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1159/000543959","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The Mediterranean lifestyle is widely recognized for its role in reducing the risk of chronic diseases, including cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, and cancer. The PREVESMED questionnaire was developed to evaluate adherence to this lifestyle, integrating dietary and non-dietary behaviors. Unlike existing tools, PREVESMED incorporates underexplored elements such as eating pace, herbal tea consumption, and physical activity, providing a multidimensional approach to lifestyle assessment.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The validation of PREVESMED was carried out as part of a planned interim analysis using data collected from participants in the PREVES-ENERGY survey, a cross-sectional study targeting 1,000 adults aged 18 years and above. To assess the reliability of the PREVESMED scale, internal consistency was evaluated using Cronbach's alpha, ensuring an acceptable level of reliability. To investigate the relationships between lifestyle factors, individual questionnaire items, and adherence to Mediterranean lifestyle according to the PREVESMED scale, a correlation analysis was performed. Additionally, to identify significant predictors of better adherence, a multivariable linear regression model was utilized, highlighting key factors influencing adherence. Finally, an exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was conducted to reveal the underlying structure of the PREVESMED scale, identifying key dimensions and their contributions to the total variance.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The cohort analyzed for the preliminary validation of the PREVESMED questionnaire consisted of 268 participants, in line with the protocol's planned sample size. Internal consistency analysis demonstrated acceptable reliability (Cronbach's alpha = 0.628). In the correlation analysis, the strongest associations with the total PREVESMED score emerged for physical activity, extra virgin olive oil use, and fruit/vegetable consumption, whereas daily alcohol intake showed the weakest correlation. The multivariable linear regression highlighted higher education, lower BMI, nonsmoking status, higher WHO-5 scores, and older age as significant predictors of better adherence. Exploratory factor analysis identified five factors explaining 59.32% of the total variance.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Our findings suggest that the PREVESMED questionnaire is a promising, multidimensional tool for evaluating adherence to a Mediterranean lifestyle, demonstrating acceptable reliability and significant associations with key health indicators. Further refinement and extended validation - encompassing test-retest reliability, weighted scoring, and biomarker correlations - will strengthen its applicability across diverse populations.</p>","PeriodicalId":10541,"journal":{"name":"Complementary Medicine Research","volume":" ","pages":"1-13"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2025-03-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143691204","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Heterogeneity in the Study of Peppermint in Aromatherapy on Cognition and Attention: A Critical Scoping Review.","authors":"Ryusei Nishi, Kenichiro Sagiyama, Takamasa Fukumoto, Haruka Amitani, Akihiro Asakawa","doi":"10.1159/000543974","DOIUrl":"10.1159/000543974","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Aromatherapy has not accrued enough evidence to be integrated into standardized clinical medicine. If high-quality evidence supports the effects of aromatherapy, it will be handled as a parallel option to standardized medical treatment. The aromatherapeutic impact of peppermint (Mentha × piperita L.) essential oil has been researched to a certain extent, such as on pain, anxiety, fatigue, or depression. Considering the rising expenditure on dementia care, the potential effects of peppermint scents on cognition have become increasingly significant. Therefore, we performed a scoping review of the studies on the impact of peppermint scents on cognition and attention.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We focused on human research, and the effects of peppermint scents were required to be inhaled. According to the inclusion criteria, searching from PubMed, Scopus, and Gale Academic OneFile, we identified a total of 115 studies. Finally, eight references were selected for review. The risk of bias was analyzed according to the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) criteria.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Each reviewed reference had its own strength in investigating the effects of peppermint scents. However, as most studies have noted, the impact of peppermint scent should be assessed from multiple perspectives, including psychological, physiological, neurological, and pharmacological factors. The risk of bias was not found to be severe (high risk of bias rate: 35.7 ± 3.4%); our critical review elucidated the heterogeneity of the reviewed studies.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>In summary, drawing a definitive conclusion at this stage is premature. Therefore, more carefully designed studies are needed to confirm this hypothesis.</p>","PeriodicalId":10541,"journal":{"name":"Complementary Medicine Research","volume":" ","pages":"1-9"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2025-03-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143540422","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Integration of Complementary Medicine in Geriatric Nursing Homes: A Prospective Comparative Observational Study.","authors":"Miriam Ortiz, Katharina Schnabel, Sylvia Binting, Susanne Lezius, Karl Wegscheider, Michael Teut, Ralf Suhr, Benno Brinkhaus","doi":"10.1159/000544712","DOIUrl":"10.1159/000544712","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>A healthy lifestyle is considered to be an important factor for healthy aging. Kneipp therapy (KT) includes a combination of hydrotherapy, herbal medicine, mind-body medicine, physical activities, and healthy nutrition. In this study, we investigated the effectiveness of KT care on activities of daily living, health, and quality of life in residents of nursing homes.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We conducted a prospective, two-armed comparative observational study to compare matched nursing homes with KT (Kneipp group) versus nursing homes with common preventive interventions (control group) over a 12-month period. Outcome measures included activities of daily living (Barthel Index), cognition (Mini-Mental State Examination [MMSE]), and quality of life (QUALIDEM; Short-Form 12 [SF-12]).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>We included 7 nursing homes (n = 105 residents) for the Kneipp group and 6 nursing homes (n = 69) as control. Except for Barthel Index, there were no time point-dependent differences between the groups. The Barthel Index showed a smaller difference from baseline in the control group (mean difference 0.94, 95% CI [-1.94; 3.82]) compared to the Kneipp group (-4.08, 95% CI [-6.46; -1.69]; p = 0.009) after 6 months; mean difference between groups Kneipp versus control: 5.01, 95% CI [1.25; 8.77]; p = 0.009. Pooled over the time points, the SF-12 mental health sum scale exhibited a smaller difference from baseline in the Kneipp group (-1.3, 95% CI [-3.6; 0.9]) compared to the control group (-3.8, 95% CI [-6.3; -1.4]; p = 0.027). Furthermore, the MMSE sum score decreased less in the Kneipp group compared to control (-1.1, 95% CI [-2.2, -0.1]; p = 0.033) after 12 months. A post hoc comparison of residents from both groups who received at least 30 preventive interventions monthly exhibited better values for QUALIDEM items \"social relations,\" \"social isolation,\" and \"feeling at home.\"</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This comparative observational study showed only small differences in outcome measures between the groups. The frequency of treatments may positively influence social components of behavior and well-being in residents. High-quality pragmatic randomized trials are needed for further investigations.</p>","PeriodicalId":10541,"journal":{"name":"Complementary Medicine Research","volume":" ","pages":"1-16"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2025-02-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143413635","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Critical Appraisal Tool for Homeopathic Intervention Studies: CATHIS.","authors":"Katharina Gaertner, Robert G Hahn, Radmila Razlog, Frauke Musial, Stephan Baumgartner, Martin Loef, Harald Walach","doi":"10.1159/000542920","DOIUrl":"10.1159/000542920","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The quality of homeopathic research studies is controversially discussed. In order to improve, the overall assessment of homeopathic studies and subsequently facilitate evidence-based clinical decision-making, we aimed to combine methodological tools for scientific rigor with tools for external and model validity into one global tool.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>Against the background of previous literature and the results of a preparatory survey, a first draft of a potential overarching tool was presented to an expert panel. Then, Delphi feedback rounds were conducted to elicit responses on the feasibility. The resulting preliminary tool was pilot-tested by five research experts on five randomly selected studies. After further optimization, another five studies were assessed by the same experts and another three experts tested the second version. The ratings were tested for interrater-reliability using Gwet's AC2.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The appraisal tool comprises four domains. These are (1) the assessment of risk-of-bias using the Cochrane Tool, (2) the studies' credibility including the CONSORT statement and its extension on homeopathy, (3) the study interventions' coherence with homeopathic textbooks and previous research, and (4) the studies' clinical relevance. Each domain is assessed using a point system, which is then added up to an overall score. The instrument was evaluated as useful and \"easy to apply\" by the raters. The interrater reliability was 0.81 (95% CI 0.75-0.88) for five raters, and 0.64 (95% CI 0.49-0.79) for additional three raters in round 2, signifying good to moderate interrater reliability.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>We have developed an applicable and reliable assessment tool for homeopathic intervention studies. Using it in systematic reviews and meta-analyses will increase their scientific value.</p>","PeriodicalId":10541,"journal":{"name":"Complementary Medicine Research","volume":" ","pages":"1-10"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2025-02-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143406216","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"ER+ HER2- Invasive Breast Cancer: Tumor Remission following Viscum Album Extract/Influenza Vaccine Treatment - A Report of 2 Cases.","authors":"Saphira Kaesbach, Alexander Hintze, Swantje Engelbrecht, Martin Wartenberg, Arnoud J Templeton","doi":"10.1159/000544082","DOIUrl":"10.1159/000544082","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Many patients with breast cancer use complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) including mistletoe preparations (Viscum album extracts, VAE). CAM alone has been associated with poor outcomes. Few, if any, confirmed breast cancer remissions have been reported with CAM treatment alone.</p><p><strong>Case presentations: </strong>Case 1: 60-year-old female with a histologically confirmed local recurrence of hormone receptor positive (HR+) Her2/neu negative (HER2-) breast cancer 3 years after the initial diagnosis and treatment. The patient declined conventional therapies and was treated with intratumoral VAE plus intratumoral influenza vaccine (IV) and concurrent VAE-induced hyperthermia. Lumpectomy 5 months later confirmed a near pathological complete remission (near pCR). Follow-up at 3 years confirms durable remission. Case 2: 57-year-old female with histologically confirmed HR+, HER2- right sided breast cancer with 2-[18F]FDG-PET/computed tomography (CT) positive metastatic disease who declined conventional treatment. The patient was treated with 17 monthly cycles of VAE-induced hyperthermia, eight of which included intratumoral VAE, four of these eight including intratumoral IV. Almost 2 years after treatment start, a follow-up 2-[18F]FDG-PET/CT showed marked morphological and metabolic reduction of breast tumor on the right side, stable local lymph node metastases in the right axilla, complete remission of pulmonary metastases, the single bone metastasis, and the majority of hilomediastinal lymph node metastases but a new metabolic highly active left adrenal lesion.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Clinical studies of intratumoral VAE-influenza vaccine with concurrent VAE-induced hyperthermia in ER positive HER2/neu negative breast cancer are warranted.</p>","PeriodicalId":10541,"journal":{"name":"Complementary Medicine Research","volume":" ","pages":"1-6"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2025-02-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143406230","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A Randomized Controlled Crossover Trial to Determine the Effects of Three Nostril Regulated Breathing Practices on Attention and Mood.","authors":"Kumar Gandharva, Sachin Kumar Sharma, Acharya Balkrishna, Shirley Telles","doi":"10.1159/000543934","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1159/000543934","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Previous studies on nostril regulated breathing have contrasting findings attributed to lack of controls or not taking into account baseline nostril patency. This randomized crossover study on the effects of three nostril regulated yoga breathing practices and two controls on mood states and attention attempted to address these issues.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>Forty-five participants between 20 and 45 years (group mean age ± SD; 24.3±3.8 years; M;F 23:22) were assessed in five sessions in random order on five separate days. Nostril patency recorded pre-interventions in 225 sessions showed right nostril dominant at rest (RNDR) in 136 and left nostril dominant at rest (LNDR) in 89 sessions. The sessions were: (i) SAV or right uninostril breathing, (ii) CAV or left unnostril breathing, (iii) (AV or alternate nostril yoga breathing, (iv) breath awareness (BAW), and (v) quiet seated rest (QS). The practices were for 15 min each. Nostril patency was recorded pre, Brief mood introspection scale (BMIS), Global Vigor and Affect Scale (GVA) and Six letter cancellation test (SLCT) were recorded pre and post each session. Data analysis used general linear mixed model analysis, with fixed effects of states (pre and post), sessions and baseline nostril dominance (right or left).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A significant interaction of sessions, states and nostril dominance at baseline was observed for total global affect (GA) (F9,396.194=2.871, p=0.003) which increased after SAV, CAV, AV and QS in participants right nostril dominant at rest (NDR) (padj<0.05 in all cases). A significant main effect of states was observed followed by significant post-hoc pair wise comparison in right NDR for (i) pleasant mood after SAV, CAV, AV and QS, (ii) positive mood after SAV and AV, and (iii) global vigor after SAV, CAV, AV and QS, and (iv) a decrease in negative mood after CAV and AV. While the volunteers who had left NDR showed a significant increase in (i) PU after CAV, AV, and QR, (ii) PT after CAV, and (iii) GV after CAV and QS.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Nostril dominance pre intervention appears to influence the effects of nostril regulated yoga breathing practices.</p>","PeriodicalId":10541,"journal":{"name":"Complementary Medicine Research","volume":" ","pages":"1-13"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2025-02-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143188556","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A Comparative Randomized Controlled Trial of Homeopathy versus Allopathy in Acute Otitis Media and Its Recurrence in Children.","authors":"Roja Varanasi, Rupali Bhalerao, Paul Sumithran, Kiranmayee G Rompicherla, Pramodji Singh, Sunil S Ramteke, D Karthikeyan, Dubashi Ramesh, Bhuvaneswari Subbarayalu, Shraddha Chauhan, Jayakrishnan Venugopal, Shravani Kampilli, Ajay Meena, Arvind Kumar, Viqar Ahmed Siddiqui, Praveen Oberai, Raj K Manchanda","doi":"10.1159/000542800","DOIUrl":"10.1159/000542800","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>This study evaluates the efficacy of homeopathic treatment for acute otitis media (AOM) in children, comparing outcomes to standard allopathic treatments. Building on promising pilot study results that suggested homeopathy's non-inferiority, this multicenter trial aimed to validate these findings and assess their broader clinical applicability.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>This open-label, randomized controlled trial was conducted on children (aged 02 to 12 years), suffering from AOM. Primary outcome was changes in Acute Otitis Media-Severity of Symptoms (AOM-SOS) scale and Tympanic Membrane Examination Scale (TMES) over 21 days and time to improvement in pain through Faces Pain Scale-Revised (FPS-R) over 10 days. The secondary outcomes were the need for antibiotics during acute AOM and the recurrence over 12 months.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Intention-to-treat analysis was carried out on 222 children: homeopathy (n = 116) (H group), allopathy (n = 106) (A group). Statistically significant reduction in AOM-SOS+TMES score in H group compared to A group was observed at time point day 3 (mean diff.±SE: 1.67 ± 0.47; 95% CI: 0.75 to 2.59; p = 0.001) and at day 7 (mean diff.±SE: 1.22 ± 0.56; 95% CI: 0.13 to 2.31, p = 0.028) favored homeopathy. However, the median time for FPS-R score to become zero by day 10 (H = 3 days, A = 4 days) was statistically insignificant (p = 0.29). None of the children in the H group required antibiotics, whereas it was required in 14 children (12.4%) in A group.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Homeopathic treatment helped in managing AOM in children similar to that of allopathic treatment. Homeopathy can be a safe treatment approach in managing this condition. Further blinded studies are warranted.</p>","PeriodicalId":10541,"journal":{"name":"Complementary Medicine Research","volume":" ","pages":"1-12"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2025-01-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143045791","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}