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Homeopathy 2018; 107(03): 209-217
DOI: 10.1055/s-0038-1654713
Original Research Article
The Faculty of Homeopathy

Assessment of Likelihood Ratio for Four Contact Dermatitis Symptoms of Vinca Minor

Suman Bagchi
1   Department of Homoeopathic Materia Medica, Homoeopathy University, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India
2   Department of Forensic Medicine & Toxicology, C. L. Chouksey Memorial Homoeopathic Medical College, Hospital and Research Center, Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh, India
,
Chaturbhuja Nayak
1   Department of Homoeopathic Materia Medica, Homoeopathy University, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India
3   Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy, Janakpuri, New Delhi, Delhi, India
,
Lex Rutten
4   VHAN, Dutch Association of Homeopathic Physicians, Breda, The Netherlands
,
Munmun Koley
5   Independent Researcher, Hooghly, West Bengal, India
,
Subhranil Saha
6   Independent Researcher, Howrah, West Bengal, India
,
Mousumi Roy
7   AYUSH Health Department, Govt. Homoeo Dispensary, Chhura, Gariaband, Chhattisgarh, India
,
Sk Jahir Abbas
8   Department of RBSK, Kulai Rural Hospital, Panchla, Howrah, West Bengal, India
,
Simantini Ghosh
9   Department of Surgery, Mahesh Bhattacharyya Homoeopathic Medical College and Hospital, Howrah, West Bengal, India
,
Suman Halder
10   Private Practitioner and Independent Researcher, Palashipara, Nadia, West Bengal, India
,
Ghulam Nabi Wani
11   Department of Health & Medical Education, District Hospitals, Baramullah and Handwara, Jammu & Kashmir, India
,
Anaitulah Ahmad Mir
11   Department of Health & Medical Education, District Hospitals, Baramullah and Handwara, Jammu & Kashmir, India
,
Showket Ahmad Bhat
11   Department of Health & Medical Education, District Hospitals, Baramullah and Handwara, Jammu & Kashmir, India
› Author Affiliations Funding We received no funding for the project. The institution has no role to play in analysis of the study results and publication of the article.
Further Information

Publication History

06 March 2018

11 April 2018

Publication Date:
21 May 2018 (online)

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Abstract

Background Contact dermatitis (CD) is a frequently occurring medical condition, for which Vinca minor (VM) is one of the recommended homeopathic medicines. However, the symptoms indicating this medicine have not yet been assessed systematically. Likelihood ratio (LR), based on Bayesian statistics, may yield better estimation of a medicine's indication than the existing method of entry of symptoms into materia medica and repertories.

Methods We investigated LRs of four CD symptoms of VM: (1) great sensitiveness of skin, with redness and soreness from slightest rubbing; (2) weeping eczema with foul, thick crusts; (3) itching amelioration in open air; and (4) CD of scalp. An observational, prospective, patient-outcome study was conducted in five different practice settings on 390 CD patients over 18 months using three outcomes—Glasgow Homeopathic Hospital Outcome Scale (GHHOS), Scoring Atopic Dermatitis (SCORAD), and Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI), assessed at baseline, after 3 and 6 months. The LR of each of the four symptoms was estimated as per the patient-rated outcomes on GHHOS.

Results Seventy-four VM and 316 non-VM cases were analyzed. Estimated LRs were as follows: symptom 1, 1.29 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.65 to 2.60); symptom 2, 1.48 (95% CI: 0.80 to 2.74); symptom 3, 1.70 (95% CI: 0.94 to 3.07); symptom 4, 1.36 (95% CI: 0.74 to 2.51). There were statistically significant reductions in SCORAD and DLQI scores over 3 and 6 months.

Conclusion There was insufficient evidence to attribute any of the four assessed symptoms clearly to VM. Though non-significant, a high LR was observed for “itching amelioration in open air” (symptom 3). Symptoms in the homeopathic materia medica for VM are perhaps over-represented. More research of this nature is warranted.

Keywords

homeopathy - Vinca minor - contact dermatitis - likelihood ratio

Highlights

• Four symptoms of CD of VM were selected for LR estimation: (1) great sensitiveness of skin, with redness and soreness from slightest rubbing; (2) weeping eczema with foul, thick crusts; (3) itching amelioration in open air; and (4) CD of scalp.


• Though non-significant, a high LR was observed only for the symptom “Itching amelioration in open air,” and it appeared as the only probable symptom of VM as having prognostic value.


 

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