Results of an international, randomised, controlled clinical trial with a complex homeopathic medication in feverish upper respiratory tract infections

• Published in: Homeopathy Vol. 105; no. 1; pp. 16 - 17
• Main Authors: Thinesse-Mallwitz, M, Maydannik, V, Keller, T, De Jaegere, S, Klement, P
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Stuttgart · New York Elsevier Ltd 01.02.2016; Georg Thieme Verlag KG
• Subjects: Abstracts; Internal Medicine; Oral Presentations; Randomized controlled clinical trial; Complex homeopathic medication; Upper respiratory tract infections; Fever; Homeopathy
• ISSN: 1475-4916; 1476-4245
• DOI: 10.1016/j.homp.2015.12.023

Background : Complex homeopathic medications are an opportunity to introduce homeopathy in countries without homeopathic tradition and in cases where daily routine doesn't allow homeopathic repertorisation for an individual therapy. We set out a clinical trial to investigate the effectiveness and safety of the complex homeopathic medication Influcid ® as add-on therapy to usual care in patients suffering from upper respiratory tract infections (URTI), the most frequently occurring illness in the world with great impact on health economics in terms of missing days at work. Methods : Between Nov 2010 and Apr 2011 we conducted a randomised, controlled clinical trial in Germany and Ukraine. Patients aged 1–65 years with URTI were included. To all patients standard symptomatic medication (Paracetamol, Ambroxol and/or Oxymetazoline) was offered on demand depending on their symptoms. The test group received additionally Influcid (active ingredients: Aconitum D3, Bryonia D2, Eupatorium perfoliatum D1, Gelsemium D3, Ipecacuanha D3, Phosphorus D5) for seven days. The Wisconsin Upper Respiratory Symptom Survey (WURSS-21) was used to assess URTI symptoms. Primary outcome measure was the response at day 4, defined as the absence of fever and the absence or very mild degree of URTI-symptoms. Results : 523 patients (265 test and 258 control group) were randomised in 22 centres. Response at day 4 differed highly significantly in favour of the Influcid-group (15.4% vs. 6.7%, Δ 8.7%; 95%-CI: 2.9–14.5%; p = 0.0018; Chi 2 -Test). Dosage and duration of symptomatic treatment was significantly lower and symptoms alleviated 1–2 days earlier in the Influcid group. Eleven adverse events were classified as probably or possibly treatment related: one adverse event was possibly related to Influcid (vomiting) and ten to the symptomatic therapy. Conclusion : The study data suggest Influcid as a therapeutic option in the treatment of URTI as it effectively reduced URTI symptoms and the need for conventional symptomatic treatment and was well tolerated.