International Journal of Homoeopathic Sciences

Background: As per the report by the National Centre for Vector Borne Disease Control of India, Dengue cases in 2023 reached nearly 10 million in India. Randomized trials haven't identified an effective therapy for Dengue. The homeopathic medical repertory lists 16 medicines for management of Dengue. Recognized by the WHO, homeopathy has managed dengue symptoms effectively. Thus, this study aimed to assess homeopathic medicines' impact as adjunctive therapy for Dengue-related thrombocytopenia.

Methods and Materials: This study was a prospective, two arm, single centre, interventional study conducted from October 2020 to February 2022 at Homeopathy Department of a tertiary care centre in Thane, Maharashtra, India. A total of 130 patients were enrolled in the study, 65 patients in each group (Control and Intervention Group). Data parameters included monitoring of daily temperature, pulse rate, respiratory rate, daily platelet counts, CRP levels, concurrent medical conditions, and corresponding medications. Additionally, clinical features such as fever, cough, cold, body aches, headache, nausea, diarrhoea, purpura, and any instances of bleeding (rectal or vaginal) were documented. All statistical data were analysed by IBM SPSS software v.16.0 and were expressed as mean ± SD.

Results: In the control group, mean hospitalization lasted 5.57 days, with a mean pulse rate of 82.14 beats per minute, respiratory rate of 19 breaths per minute (bpm), mean fever duration of 2.65 days, and mean platelet rise of 1.09 lacs/cumm. In contrast, the interventional group had a shorter hospitalization of 4.48 days, higher pulse rate (89.43 bpm), respiratory rate (22.50 bpm), lower fever duration (1.36 days), and mean platelet rise of (1.15 lacs/cumm). Fluid transfusion requirement was higher in the control group (9.23%) than the interventional (1.54%), however there was not statistically significant correlation observed.

Conclusion: Homeopathic approach in dengue associated thrombocytopenia has shown better clinical outcomes by reducing requirement for platelet transfusion.