title: Anthroposophic therapy for asthma: A two-year prospective cohort study in routine outpatient settings.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Anthroposophic treatment for asthma includes special artistic and physical therapies and special medications.
  
  
  METHODS
  We studied consecutive outpatients starting anthroposophic treatment for asthma under routine conditions in Germany. Main outcomes were average asthma severity (0-10, primary outcome); symptoms (1-4); and asthma-related quality of life at 12-month follow-up (Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire [AQLQ] overall score, 1-7, for adults; KINDL Questionnaire for Measuring Health-Related Quality of Life in Children and Adolescents, asthma module, 0-100, for children) at 12-month follow-up.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ninety patients (54 adults, 36 children) were included. Anthroposophic treatment modalities used were medications (88% of patients, n = 79/90); eurythmy therapy (22%); art therapy (10%); and rhythmical massage therapy (1%). Median number of eurythmy/art/massage sessions was 12 (interquartile range 10-20), median therapy duration was 120 days (84-184). From baseline to 12-month follow-up, all outcomes improved significantly (P < 0.001 for all comparisons). Average improvements were: average asthma severity 2.61 points (95% confidence interval CI: 1.90-3.32); cough 0.93 (95% CI: 0.60-1.25); dyspnea 0.92 (95% CI: 0.56-1.28); exertion-induced symptoms 0.95 (95% CI: 0.64-1.25); frequency of asthma attacks 0.78 (95% CI: 0.41-1.14); awakening from asthma 0.90 (95% CI: 0.58-1.21); AQLQ overall score 1.44 (95% CI: 0.97-1.92); and KINDL asthma module 14.74 (95% CI: 9.70-19.78). All improvements were maintained until last follow-up after 24 months.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients with asthma under anthroposophic treatment had long-term improvements of symptoms and quality of life.
authors: Institute for Applied Epistemology and Medical Methodology, Freiburg, Germany;
authors: Harald J
authors: HJ
authors: Hamre
authors: Claudia M
authors: CM
authors: Witt
authors: Gunver S
authors: GS
authors: Kienle
authors: Christof
authors: C
authors: Schnürer
authors: Anja
authors: A
authors: Glockmann
authors: Renatus
authors: R
authors: Ziegler
authors: Stefan N
authors: SN
authors: Willich
authors: Helmut
authors: H
authors: Kiene