Background: A large proportion (8-32%) of women in the fertile age suffers from premenstrual syndrome/ symptoms (PMS/S). Individualized homeopathy could offer relief and this should be further investigated. Semistandardized treatment with a limited number of homeopathic medicines and strictly defined prescription criteria could minimize prescription variability and increase reproducibility of the individualized treatment. Objective: In an extension of a previous pilot study, the utility of a semi-standardized algorithm with 11 medicines for individualized homeopathic treatment of women with PMS/S was further evaluated in daily practice with 9 months follow-up. Methods: Women completed symptom diaries during to 2 months to confirm PMS/S. Women diagnosed with PMS/S were included, consulted a homeopathic physician and completed a questionnaire with keynote symptoms for 11 homeopathic medicines. A computerized algorithm would process the answers and indicate the first homeopathic prescription. At follow-up visits change of prescription was possible. Main outcome measures were frequencies and proportions of (non-) algorithm-based prescriptions during the study and percentage of responders (≥ 50% drop in PMS scores). Secondary outcome measures were mean changes in PMS scores over time. Results: 77 women were included, 52 completed the study. The usefulness of the semi-standardized treatment protocol was confirmed. In 30 (57.5%) of the 52 analyzed women, PMS scores had dropped by ≥ 50%. For the estimated mean changes in PMS scores, it made no difference if women had used one or more of the 11 algorithm-based or also other homeopathic medicines (p=0.765). A significant association was found between symptom severity at baseline and changes in mean PMS scores (p<0.001). Conclusions: A semi-standardized individualized homeopathic treatment of women with PMS/S with 11 medicines proved useful in daily homeopathic practice, with improved reproducibility of individualized treatment. This treatment could be further tested in effectiveness research.
Deze studie betreft een evaluatie van een half-gestandaardiseerde geïndividualiseerde homeopathische behandeling van 77 vrouwen met premenstruele stoornissen. Deze studie laat zien dat de ingezette behandeling bruikbaar is in de praktijk. Deze behandeling kan verder worden getoetst in een effectiviteitsonderzoek.