Effectiveness of individualised Homoeopathy in hypertrophied adenoids in pediatric population: a single-arm, prospective pilot study

Abstract

Background: Adenoid hypertrophy is the most common cause of upper airway obstruction in children. Objective: The primary objective was to determine the reduction in hypertrophied adenoids in children after homoeopathic treatment, using nasal endoscopic assessment. The secondary objectives were to identify the changes in symptoms of hypertrophied adenoids in children after administration of homoeopathic medicines using “Four-point clinical rating scale for adenoidal symptoms (FPCR)” and to nd out the utility of homoeopathic medicines in reducing the frequency of upper respiratory tract infections (URTI) in children with hypertrophied adenoids. Materials and methods: Thirty children between 3–14 years of age, with signs and symptoms of hypertrophied adenoid were screened from the outpatient department of National Homoeopathy Research Institute in Mental Health, Kerala, India, in 2019. It was a single-arm-prospective study. The treatment effect was analysed by evaluating the endoscopic grading of hypertrophied adenoids, reducing the frequency of URTI, and the FPCR scale for adenoidal symptoms. Results: Nasal endoscopy at the end of one year of homoeopathic treatment revealed no further increase in size of the adenoids in 19 cases, whereas in 11 cases the size increased. There was a statistically signi cant reduction in the FPCR scale (z D 4.724, p < 0.001). The frequency of URTI reduced from six episodes in six months to less than four episodes in twelve months. Conclusion: The study shows a probable role of homoeopathic medicines in reducing the size of adenoid hypertrophy and reducing the frequency of upper respiratory tract infections in children.