| المؤلفون: |
Das SK; Department of Materia Medica, Mahesh Bhattacharyya Homoeopathic Medical College and Hospital, Government of West Bengal, Howrah, India.; Naxalbari Rural Hospital, Darjeeling, India., Basu T; Department of Materia Medica, Mahesh Bhattacharyya Homoeopathic Medical College and Hospital, Government of West Bengal, Howrah, India., Tabassum SN; Department of Materia Medica, Mahesh Bhattacharyya Homoeopathic Medical College and Hospital, Government of West Bengal, Howrah, India.; Kharibari Rural Hospital, Darjeeling, India., Sarkar A; Department of Materia Medica, Mahesh Bhattacharyya Homoeopathic Medical College and Hospital, Government of West Bengal, Howrah, India., Ghosh S; Department of Pathology and Microbiology, D.N. De Homoeopathic Medical College & Hospital, Government of West Bengal, Howrah, India.; Department of Pathology and Microbiology, Mahesh Bhattacharyya Homoeopathic Medical College and Hospital, Government of West Bengal, Howrah, India., Koley M; East Bishnupur State Homoeopathic Dispensary, Chandi Daulatabad Block Primary Health Centre, Under Department of Health & Family Welfare, Government of West Bengal, South 24 Parganas, India.; Mahesh Bhattacharyya Homoeopathic Medical College & Hospital, Government of West Bengal, Howrah, India., Saha S; Department of Repertory, D.N. De Homoeopathic Medical College and Hospital, Government of West Bengal, Kolkata, India., Nath A; Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, Pratap Chandra Memorial Homeopathic Hospital & College, Kolkata, India., Khamrui S; Vidyasagar Rural Hospital, Birsingha State Homoeopathic Dispensary, Under Department of Health & Family Welfare, Government of West Bengal, Ghatal, Paschim Medinipur, India. |
| مستخلص: |
Objectives: Sciatica is a debilitating condition that causes pain in its distribution or in the lumbosacral nerve root that is connected to it. Although there are claims that homeopathy can reduce sciatica pain, systematic scientific proof is currently lacking. The objective of the trial was to determine whether individualized homeopathic medicines (IHMs) were as effective as identical-looking placebos in treating sciatica pain. Design: This is a double-blind, randomized (1:1), two parallel arms, placebo-controlled trial. Setting: The study was conducted at Mahesh Bhattacharyya Homoeopathic Medical College and Hospital, Howrah, West Bengal, India. Subjects: Sixty participants with sciatica pain were included in this study. Interventions: Verum ( n = 30; IHMs plus concomitant care) versus control ( n = 30; placebos plus concomitant care). Outcome measures: Primary-Sciatica Bothersome Index (SBI) and Sciatica Frequency Index (SFI) scores and secondary-Roland Morris Pain and Disability Questionnaire (RMPDQ), Short Form McGill Pain Questionnaire (SF-MPQ), and Oswestry Low Back Pain Questionnaire (OLBPQ) scores: all of them were measured at baseline, and every month, up to 3 months. Results: Intention-to-treat sample ( n = 60) was analyzed. Group differences were examined by two-way (split-half) repeated measure analysis of variance, primarily accounting for between groups and time interactions, and additionally, by unpaired t tests comparing the estimates obtained individually every month. The level of significance was set at p < 0.025 and <0.05 two tailed for the primary and secondary outcomes, respectively. Group differences could not achieve significance in SBI ( p = 0.044), SFI ( p = 0.080), and RMPDQ scores ( p = 0.134), but were significant for SF-MPQ ( p = 0.007) and OLBPQ ( p = 0.036). Gnaphalium polycephalum ( n = 6; 10%) was the most frequently prescribed medicine. No harm, serious adverse events, or intercurrent illnesses were recorded in either of the groups. Conclusions: The primary outcome failed to demonstrate evidently that homeopathy was effective beyond placebo, and the trial remained inconclusive. Independent replications are warranted to confirm the findings. Clinical Trial Registration Number: CTRI/2020/10/028617. |
