scholarly journals Does homeopathic medicine have a preventive effect on respiratory tract infections? A real life observational study

2016 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gianfranco Maria Beghi ◽  
Antonio Maria Morselli-Labate
Keyword(s):  
Observational Study ◽  
Respiratory Tract ◽  
Respiratory Tract Infections ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Treated Group ◽  
Clinical Settings ◽  
Homeopathic Medicine ◽  
Tract Infections ◽  
Positive Effect

Background: Homeopathic medicine is a branch of integrative medicine that has been gaining increasing popularity. However, its clinical application remains controversial. To improve the understanding of homeopathy, observational studies-which monitor the effects of homeopathy in real-life clinical settings-are a helpful adjunct to randomized controlled trials. The goal of this controlled observational study was to investigate the role of the homeopathic medicine in preventing respiratory tract infections (RTIs). Methods: This retrospective analysis of patients’ medical records focused on a single centre from 2002 to 2011, and examined 459 patients, out of whom 248 were treated with homeopathic medicine (specific extract of duck liver and heart) and 211 were not treated. All patients were followed-up for at least 1 year, and up to a maximum of 10 years. Results: A significant reduction in the frequency of onset of RTIs was found in both the homeopathic medicine and untreated groups. The reduction in the mean number of RTI episodes during the period of observation vs. the year before inclusion in the study was significantly greater in the homeopathic-treated group than in untreated patients (-4.76 ± 1.45 vs. -3.36 ± 1.30; p = 0.001). The beneficial effect of the homeopathic medicine was not significantly related to gender, age, smoking habits or concomitant respiratory diseases when compared to the effect observed in untreated patients. Conclusion: These results suggest that homeopathic medicine may have a positive effect in preventing RTIs. However, randomized studies are needed before any firm conclusion can be reached.

Role of Procalcitonin in Managing Adult Patients With Respiratory Tract Infections

CHEST Journal ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 141 (4) ◽  
pp. 1063-1073 ◽  
Author(s):  
Philipp Schuetz ◽  
Devendra N. Amin ◽  
Jeffrey L. Greenwald
Keyword(s):  
Respiratory Tract ◽  
Respiratory Tract Infections ◽  
Adult Patients ◽  
Tract Infections

scholarly journals A role of oropharyngeal microbiota in developing acute and chronic diseases of the upper respiratory tract

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 359-367
Author(s):  
I. I. Ababii ◽  
L. A. Danilov ◽  
M. K. Maniuc ◽  
P. I. Ababii ◽  
S. S. Ghinda ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Respiratory Tract ◽  
Respiratory Tract Infections ◽  
Chronic Tonsillitis ◽  
Upper Respiratory Tract Infections ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Healthy Children ◽  
Upper Respiratory Tract ◽  
Upper Respiratory ◽  
Tract Infections

Currently, a rise in incidence of polyethological inflammation of the upper respiratory tract mucosa paralleled by altered resident and transient microbiota displaying in many cases increased antibiotic resistance has been noted. Opportunistic microbes play a major role in developing inflammatory process in Pirogov–Waldeyer’s ring. An inflammatory process occurring in the tonsillar lymphatic tissue results in host systemic complications. Fighting against acute and chronic infections of the upper respiratory tract holds the main task in pediatric otorhinolaryngology, as they can consequently elicit the cardiovascular, genitourinary and musculoskeletal complications. The results of studies examining this issue remain very contradictory, which accounted for a need to conduct our study on the territory of Moldova featured with mixed climatic conditions. Here, we wanted to study a role of microbial factor in etiopathogenesis of chronic tonsillitis in children. Bacteriological microbiota data for superficial palatine tonsils were obtained form 608 children subdivided into 5 groups: group I — 333 children with compensated chronic tonsillitis; group II — 87 children with decompensated chronic tonsillitis; group III — 91 children with acute upper respiratory tract infections (comparison group); group IV — 48 children with acute upper respiratory tract infections treated with antibiotic therapy; group V — 49 apparently healthy children (control group). It was found that β-hemolytic streptococcus exerting high sensitivity to virtually all antibiotics groups was detected in 17.4% of children with acute tonsilar inflammatory processes and decompensated defense in the lymphatic pharyngeal ring compared to 3.5% in control group. Streptococcus pneumoniae was isolated in all study groups ranging within 4.8–21.7%, including 14% in apparently healthy children characterized by reduced antibiotics sensitivity. The data obtained suggest that sickly children with acute and chronic upper respiratory tract infections constitute a risk group for developing somatic diseases. The high incidence of Streptococcus pneumoniae indicates a need for performing immunoprophylaxis, use of therapeutic vaccination as a up-to-date, combined approach in treatment of such pediatric cohort.

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