Homeopathy works in eczema and psoriasis

The Spring 2006 Newsletter described a prospective, multicentre cohort study that was conducted by a research team at Berlin’s Charité University (Germany), including 103 primary care practices with additional specialization in homeopathy in Germany and Switzerland. In this study the use and effects of homeopathy under conditions of usual care were investigated (1). The study involved 3981 patients who consulted a physician for classical homeopathic therapy in 103 primary care practices in Germany and Switzerland. Disease severity and quality of life demonstrated marked and sustained improvements following homeopathic treatment period. The study indicates that homeopathic medical therapy may play a beneficial role in the long-term care of patients with chronic diseases. In recent publications the results of homeopathic treatment in two subgroups of the above-mentioned study were described, one subgroup of children with atopic eczema (2) and another subgroup of 82 adults with psoriasis (3). The study on atopic eczema included 225 children with a disease duration of 3.6 ± 3.8 years who were followed up for 24 months. Over the course of the study patients received 7.3 ± 6.4 homeopathic prescriptions, most frequently Calcium carbonicum (8.2%), Tuberculinum (7.2%), and Medorrhinum (6.8%). In total, 137 different homeopathic remedies were used. The strongest improvement in diagnoses and medical complaints was seen in the first 3 months, and it continued during the full observation period. After 24 months, the atopic eczema as well as the other baseline diagnoses were considerably relieved, while reductions in use of conventional medicines were observed. The other study was aimed at evaluating details and effects of homeopathic treatment in patients with psoriasis. Fortyfive physicians treated 82 adults, who had had psoriasis for an average of 14.7 years and of whom 96.3% had been treated before. Patients received 6.0 ± 4.9 homeopathic prescriptions. Diagnoses and complaints severity improved markedly with large effect sizes. In addition, the quality of life improved, while conventional treatment and health service use were considerably reduced. It has to be kept in mind that these are not experimental studies (with control group, randomization, and blinding), but observational studies which are, by their character, less rigorous than experimental studies. The aim of these studies was to provide systematic and detailed information about status and effects of homeopathic medical care in usual care. And the results clearly demonstrate that under individualized (‘classical’) homeopathic treatment, patients with atopic eczema and psoriasis improved in symptoms and quality of life. References: 1. Witt CM, Lüdtke R, Baur R, Willich SN. (2005) Homeopathic Medical Practice: Long-term results of a Cohort Study with 3,981 Patients. BMC Public Health, 5:115. 2. Witt CM, Lüdtke R, Willich SN (2009). Homeopathic treatment of children with atopic eczema: a prospective observational study with two years followup. Acta Dermato-venereologica, 89:182-183. 3. Witt CM, Lüdtke R, Willich SN (2009) Homeopathic treatment of patients with psoriasis – a prospective observational study with 2 years follow-up. Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, 23:538-543. Source: E.C.H. Newsletter Spring 2009