Abstract

Introduction: Four hundred and thirty allergic patients reaching our observation in the period 2011-2015 were followed up at the IM outpatient clinics at Pitigliano Hospital Centre of Integrated Medicine. They were divided into two groups: seasonal allergies (262 patients) and year-round allergies (168 patients).

Methods: The patients were followed up at the homeopathy outpatient clinic by two homeopathic doctors for a period between one and four years. The dropouts and associated reasons have been investigated and they have been not connected to the use of homeopathic drugs. All patients were asked if they had experienced any side effects from the homeopathic treatment and none of the patients reported side effects caused by the homeopathic treatment in the follow-up phase.

Results: A strong reduction in the intensity of symptoms has been registered since the first month of homeopathic therapy for both seasonal allergies and non-seasonal allergies, along with a very marked reduction in the use of conventional drugs in 85% of patients with year-round allergies and 100% of patients with seasonal allergies. These results have been stable over the total observation period. The strength of this study is its large caseload of 430 patients, 356 of whom were followed up for more than one year and the remainder for up to four years. Furthermore, the reasons for dropping out have been ascertained.

Keywords: Allergy; Homeopathy; Integrated medicine

Highlights

a) The “key things” to remember in this paper are:

b) The use of homeopathy as an integrated non-alternative therapy;

c) The use of an “extemporaneous preparation” to reduce costs and simplify the intake of homeopathic therapy;

d) The patients followed up to 4 years and their high compliance;

e) The disposal of conventional therapy and

f) The improvement of the ESAS scale related to symptoms and SF12 items related to the impact of allergic diseases on daily activities.

Abbreviations: EFA: European Federation of Allergy; EAACI: European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology; COPD: Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease; IM: Integrated Medicine; PCS: Physical Component Summary; MCS: Mental Component Summary Edmonton; ESAS: Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale; RIDIT: Relative to an Identified Distribution Integral Transformation; HIT: Homeopathic Immunotherapy

Keywords: Candida albicans; Phytotherapy; Plants; Medicinal