title: Homeopathic treatment of multimorbid patients: a prospective outcome study with polarity analysis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The treatment of multimorbid patients who have a combination of three or more concurrent complaints is one of the core competencies of homeopathy. In this article we introduce the application of polarity analysis (PA) in multimorbidity. PA came to prominence through the Swiss homeopathic ADHD double-blind study, which successfully demonstrated a significant difference between highly dilute homeopathic remedies and placebo. PA enables homeopaths to calculate a relative healing probability, based on Boenninghausen's grading of polar symptoms. After its evaluation in the treatment of a variety of acute and chronic disease, which showed improved results compared to a conventional homeopathic approach, it was a challenge to test PA with multimorbid patients. Since such patients almost invariably have a multiple symptoms, the question was whether we can nevertheless successfully use Polarity Analysis or whether the method is rendered ineffective by the multitude of symptoms.
  
  
  METHODS
  We treated 50 multimorbid patients with PA and prospectively followed them over one year.
  
  
  RESULTS
  43 patients (86%) completed the observation period, achieving an average improvement of 91% in their initial symptoms. Six patients dropped out, and one did not achieve an improvement of 80%, and was therefore also counted as a treatment failure. The cost of homeopathic treatment was 41% of projected equivalent conventional treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Polarity Analysis is an effective method for treating multimorbidity. The multitude of symptoms does not prevent the method from achieving good results. Homeopathy may be capable of taking over a considerable proportion of the treatment of multimorbid patients, at lower costs than conventional medicine.
authors.affiliation: University of Berne, Kreuzplatz 6, CH-3177 Laupen, Switzerland. Electronic address: heiner.frei@hin.ch.
authors.forename: Heiner
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Frei
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D006705:Homeopathy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Homeopathy; Multimorbid patients; Polarity analysis; Prospective outcome study; Treatment costs