Homeopathy as an adjuvant treatment for patients with COVID-19 Associated Pneumonia

Phase 2

• Conditions: Pneumonia; C01.748.214

• Registration Number: RBR-102ydhjs
• Lead Sponsor: niversidade Federal de Santa Catarina

Brief Summary

The emergence of a novel coronavirus pandemic urged the medical and scientific community to meet the challenge and look for effective solutions to reduce the burden of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), especially in the face of the lack of specific treatment. In that context, this study aimed to assess the effectiveness of homeopathy as an adjuvant treatment for COVID-19-associated pneumonia. Methods We conducted the present longitudinal and prospective study from July to November 2020 in a university hospital in Florianópolis, Brazil. The studied population were adults admitted to the hospital’s COVID-19 ward with a clinical diagnosis of pneumonia. Patients who met the inclusion criteria were randomized into an adjuvant homeopathy (AH) group, to receive the homeopathic adjuvant treatment, and a control group, to receive standard treatment (ST) alone. The main outcome was referral to intensive care unit (ICU) or discharge from hospital, and the secondary outcome was the length of stay (LOS) at hospital among those who were discharged. Results The final sample included 102 patients, 50 assigned to the AH group and 52 to the ST group. A total of 79 (77.4%) patients were discharged, 43 (86.0%) from AH and36 (69.2%) from ST. In total, 23 (22.5%) patients were referred to an ICU, seven (14.0%) from AH and 16 (30.7%) from ST. The relative risk for ICU referral was 1.24 (95% CI, 1.004 to 1.537; p.0.048) for ST. There was no statistically significant difference in LOS between the two groups. Conclusion: Adjuvant homeopathic treatment was effective in reducing the relative risk of ICU referral in the present study. However, there was no significant difference in LOS between the two groups. Thus, further studies are needed, with larger samples and performed in different centers, to confirm or refute the results.

Detailed Description

Not available

Study Timeline

• Results First Posted: 1900-01-01
• Study Completion: 2020-12-04
• Study Start: 2022-05-06
• Last Update Posted: 29 May 2023

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: Data analysis completed
• Sex: Not specified
• Target Recruitment: Not specified

Inclusion Criteria

Both genders; age between 20 and 70 years; positive test for SARS-CoV-2 by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction or rapid antigen test; pneumonia, diagnosed according to clinical criteria, with or without imaging confirmation (plain radiographs, computed tomography angiography); Indication of hospital admission; no clinical condition that impairs verbal communication; homeopathy interview within 24 hours of admission.

Exclusion Criteria

Pregnancy, or women who had given birth up to 45 days earlier; hospital admission for palliative care; lower oxygen saturation 93 percent through an oxygen reservoir mask (criterion for admission to intensive care unit)

Study & Design

• Study Type: Intervention
• Study Design: Not specified

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Evaluate whether the homeopathic intervention reduces or does not change the indication for admission to an intensive care unit, having as relevant variables gender; age; comorbidities; need for oxygen therapy and length of stay.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
To assess whether homeopathic intervention alters the length of stay of patients admitted to the hospital.