Treatment of health complaints attributed to amalgam.
The aim of the present study was to compare the reduction of subjective complaints by 3 treatment strategies in 90 "amalgam patients" whose complaints could not be explained by a medical or psychological disorder. The individuals were randomly assigned either to removal of dental amalgam only (removal group), or removal in combination with a "biological detoxification" therapy with high doses of vitamins and trace elements (removal-plus group), or participation in a health promotion program without removal of dental amalgam (no-removal group). Between baseline and month 12, the sum score of main complaints decreased by 3.5 (SD=2.2) points on average in the removal group as well as in the removal-plus group, and by 2.5 (SD=2.4) points in the no-removal group (p=0.152). Both removal groups showed a significant decrease in steady-state levels of inorganic mercury compared with the no-removal group. Thus, all 3 interventions were associated with clinically relevant improvements.
Melchart
D
D
Centre for Complementary Medicine Research, Internal Medicine II, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany. dieter.melchart@lrz.tum.de
Vogt
S
S
Köhler
W
W
Streng
A
A
Weidenhammer
W
W
Kremers
L
L
Hickel
R
R
Felgenhauer
N
N
Zilker
T
T
Wühr
E
E
Halbach
S
S
D000328:Adult; D002985:Clinical Protocols; D003188:Composite Resins; D003723:Dental Amalgam / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003776:Dental Porcelain; D003793:Dental Restoration, Permanent / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000473:pathology; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006047:Gold Alloys; D015438:Health Behavior; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008628:Mercury / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D008875:Middle Aged; D013001:Somatoform Disorders / Q000628:therapy*; D014131:Trace Elements / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014815:Vitamins / Q000627:therapeutic use
D003188:Composite Resins; D006047:Gold Alloys; D014131:Trace Elements; D014815:Vitamins; D003776:Dental Porcelain; D003723:Dental Amalgam; D008628:Mercury