Abstract
ABSTRACT Background Asthma is a common chronic disease worldwide without any known cure. Despite remarkable improvement in asthma treatment, better education and guideline implementation strategies, there is growing interest in using complementary and alternative medicine, like reflexology and homeopathy. However, evidence supporting the effectiveness of homeopathy and reflexology in asthma treatment is not available. Objective The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of reflexology and homeopathy as adjunctive therapies in asthma. Methods In a single centre, randomised, investigator blinded, controlled study 86 asthma patients were enrolled. They were assigned to one of three study groups (conventional treatment alone or conventional treatment with addition of either homeopathy or reflexology). All patients received their asthma treatment during the study and were followed as usual by their general practitioner. The study assignment group of individual patients were blinded to the investigators, who made the clinical evaluation of asthma control. The primary outcome was the change in the asthma quality of life questionnaire (AQLQ) scores after 26 weeks. Secondary outcomes included asthma control questionnaire, EuroQol, forced expiratory volume in 1 sec, morning and evening peak expiratory flow, asthma symptoms, rescue medication use, and total medication score. Results Minor improvements in the AQLQ score were observed in all three groups. However, no statistically significant changes in AQLQ scores were seen within or between groups. Likewise, secondary outcomes did not differ between groups. Conclusions In this study, the addition of homeopathy or reflexology to conventional treatment did not result in improved quality of life in asthma.
Highlights
Patients with chronic diseases such as asthma are among the most frequent users of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) [1,2]
This variation could be at least one of the following characteristics: (1) a positive bronchodilator reversibility test defined as increase in forced expiratory volume in 1 sec (FEV1) ≥ 10% after 400 μg inhaled salbutamol; (2) a positive methacholine challenge test defined as a PD20 of < 1000 μg; (3) a positive test for exerciseinduced asthma defined as a fall in FEV1 > 15% after a standardised 6-min exercise test; or (4) a positive peak expiratory flow (PEF) variability defined by ≥ 3 days or 2 consecutive days with a differences between morning and evening PEF of > 20% during a 2-week period
Asthma control questionnaire Reduction in ACQ at week 26 was 0.09 among patients receiving reflexology, 0.13 those receiving homeopathy, and 0.19 in conventional treatment group
Summary
Patients with chronic diseases such as asthma are among the most frequent users of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) [1,2]. Homeopathy and reflexology are forms of CAM therapies frequently used by asthma patients [3]. Methods: In a single centre, randomised, investigator blinded, controlled study 86 asthma patients were enrolled. They were assigned to one of three study groups (conventional treatment alone or conventional treatment with addition of either homeopathy or reflexology). The study assignment group of individual patients were blinded to the investigators, who made the clinical evaluation of asthma control. Conclusions: In this study, the addition of homeopathy or reflexology to conventional treatment did not result in improved quality of life in asthma
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary 
Published Version (
Free)
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call