Evaluating the efficacy of indicated homoeopathic medicine as an adjuvant therapy in the management of acute viral encephalitis a randomized control trial

Abstract

Background: Acute encephalitis syndrome (AES) is a serious public health problem newlinein India. It is characterized as acute-onset of fever and a change in mental status newline(mental confusion, disorientation, delirium, or coma) and/or new-onset of seizures in newlinea person of any age at any time of the year. The disease most commonly affects newlinechildren and young adults and can lead to considerable morbidity and mortality. newlineJapanese encephalitis virus (JEV) is the major cause of AES in India (ranging from newline5%-35%). AES due to JEV was clinically diagnosed in India for the first time in newline1955 in the southern State of Madras, now Tamil Nadu. Between 2008 and 2014, newlinethere have been more than 44,000 cases and nearly 6000 deaths from encephalitis in newlineIndia, particularly in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. In 2016, there has been a rise in newlineencephalitis, with over 125 children reported to have died in one hospital in newlineGorakhpur alone. Integrating homoeopathy with standard care can reduce the death newlineand disability due to AES/JE which is presently not possible with individual newlinesystems. newlineObjectives: To assess the efficacy of individualised homeopathic medicine as newlineadjuvant therapy in treatment of Acute Viral Encephalitis using Modified Glasgow newlineComa Scale for Infants and Children and Checklist Clinical management tool (CMT). newlineStudy Design: Prospective, single blind, double arm, randomized controlled trial. newlineMethods: Total numbers of 225 participants were screened, out of which 200 cases newlinefulfilled the inclusion criteria which were randomly allocated by using computer newlinebased randomizationin to Group 1 where 100 Patients received conventional newlinemedicine with placebo and Group 2 where 100 Patients received conventional newlinemedicine with adjuvant individualized homoeopathic intervention. Diagnosed cases newlineof AVE (Laboratory confirmed case), of both sexes between age group 1-15 years newlinewere assessed on the basis of CMT Tool, were included. Modified Glasgow Coma newlineScale for Infants and Children was used to assess assessment and grading of brain newlinedysfunction severity.