Homeopathic treatment of patients with dysmenorrhea: a prospective observational study with 2 years follow-up.
OBJECTIVE
Evaluating homeopathic treatment for dysmenorrhea.


METHODS
Prospective multicenter observational study in primary care, using standardized questionnaires to record for 2 years diseases, quality of life, medical history, consultations, all treatments, other health services use.


RESULTS
Fifty-seven physicians treated 128 women (age 32.4 +/- 7.5 years, mean +/- SD) and 11 girls (13.7 +/- 4.0). Women had dysmenorrhea for 11.6 +/- 9.0 (girls 3.1 +/- 1.5) years. Patients received 7.5 +/- 6.5 (5.9 +/- 3.7) homeopathic prescriptions. Diagnoses and complaints severity improved markedly [at 24 months, dysmenorrhea relieved by > 50% of baseline rating in 46.1% (59) of the women and 45.5% (5) of the girls] with large effect sizes (24 months: Cohen's d from 1.18 to 2.93). In addition, QoL improved (24 months: SF-36 physical component score: 0.25, mental component score 0.25, KINDL sum score 0.27). Conventional medication changed little and use of other health services decreased.


CONCLUSIONS
Patients with dysmenorrhea improved under homeopathic treatment. Controlled studies should investigate efficacy and effectiveness.
Witt
Claudia M
CM
Institute for Social Medicine, Epidemiology and Health Economics, Charité University Medical Center, 10098, Berlin, Germany. claudia.witt@charite.de
Lüdtke
Rainer
R
Willich
Stefan N
SN
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D004412:Dysmenorrhea / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006705:Homeopathy; D006801:Humans; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life