A Randomised, Placebo-Controlled, Parallel Group Study to Evaluate Efficacy of Homoeopathic Medicine in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis

Background: Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic, progressive, debilitating autoimmune disease that occurs in approximately 1% of adults with a female:male ratio of 2.5:1.

Aim: The purpose of this study is to determine the efficacy of homoeopathic medicines in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Methodology: One hundred and twenty subjects were enrolled in the study in a ratio of 1:1, assuming 20% drop-outs to obtain 96 evaluable subjects at day 84; that is, 60 subjects were randomly allocated to homoeopathic treatment arm, while another 60 were allocated placebo. Proportion of patients with an ACR20 response in both treatment groups on day 84 was compared with baseline. Another secondary variable was the change from baseline in disease activity score 28 C reactive protein (DAS28-CRP) on day 84.

Results: Out of 120 subjects, 16 subjects dropped out and 104 subjects completed the study. In the study out of 104 subjects, 54 subjects received homoeopathic medicines: there were 13 (23%) ACR20 responders in the treatment arm and 41 (77%) subjects were ACR20 non-responders. There were 50 subjects who received placebo, out of whom 3 (6%) subjects were ACR20 responders and the remaining 47 (94%) subjects were non-responders. No remarkable change was seen with placebo in DAS28-CRP. There was a positive relation between baseline DAS28-CRP as compared with DAS28-CRP on the 84th day.

Conclusion: Homoeopathic medicines have significant effect in patients with RA, and homoeopathic treatment lowers the intake of pain killer. A study of longer duration is needed.

Keywords: Rheumatoid arthritis, DAS-disease activity score, ACR20