{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,25]],"date-time":"2026-09-25T13:25:03Z","timestamp":1790342703439,"version":"4.1.0"},"reference-count":31,"publisher":"Georg Thieme Verlag KG","issue":"03","content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Homeopathy"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2024,8]]},"abstract":"<jats:title>Abstract<\/jats:title><jats:p>\n          Introduction\u2003This study aimed at examining the feasibility issues of comparing individualized homeopathic medicines (IHMs) with identical-looking placebos for treating knee osteoarthritis (OA).<\/jats:p><jats:p>\n          Methods\u2003Forty eligible patients participated in this double-blind, randomized (1:1), placebo-controlled feasibility trial in the outpatient clinics of a homeopathic hospital in West Bengal, India. Either IHMs or identical-looking placebos were administered, along with mutually agreed-upon concomitant care guidelines. The Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) was the primary outcome measure, along with derived Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index (WOMAC) scores from KOOS. The EQ-5D-5L questionnaire and Visual Analog Scale (VAS) were the secondary outcomes. All were measured at baseline and after 2 months. Group differences and effect sizes (Cohen's d) were estimated using an intention-to-treat approach. p-Values less than 0.05 (two-tailed) were considered statistically significant.<\/jats:p><jats:p>\n          Results\u2003Enrolment\/screening and trial retention rates were 43% and 85% respectively. Recruitment was difficult owing to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) lockdown. Group differences were statistically significant, favoring IHMs against placebos in all the KOOS sub-scales: symptoms (p\u2009&lt;\u20090.001), pain (p\u2009=\u20090.002), activities of daily living (p\u2009&lt;\u20090.001), sports or recreation (p\u2009=\u20090.016), and quality of life (p\u2009=\u20090.002). Derived WOMAC scores from KOOS favored IHMs against placebos: stiffness (p\u2009&lt;\u20090.001) and pain (p\u2009&lt;\u20090.001). The EQ-5D-5L questionnaire score (p\u2009&lt;\u20090.001) and EQ-5D-5L VAS scores (p\u2009&lt;\u20090.001) also yielded significant results, favoring IHMs over placebos. All the effect sizes ranged from moderate to large. Sulphur was the most frequently prescribed homeopathic medication. Neither group reported any harm or serious adverse events.<\/jats:p><jats:p>\n          Conclusion\u2003Although recruitment was sub-optimal due to prevailing COVID-19 conditions during the trial, the action of IHMs was found to be superior to that of placebos in the treatment of knee OA. Larger and more definitive studies, with independent replications, are warranted in order to substantiate the findings.<\/jats:p><jats:p>\n          Trial registration:\u2003CTRI\/2021\/02\/031453.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1055\/s-0043-1771025","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2023,9,25]],"date-time":"2023-09-25T22:59:46Z","timestamp":1695682786000},"page":"158-166","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":5,"title":["Individualized Homeopathic Medicines in the Treatment of Knee Osteoarthritis: Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Feasibility Trial"],"prefix":"10.1055","volume":"113","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-2521-2988","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Soumya","family":"Bhattacharyya","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Materia Medica, D. N. De Homoeopathic Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata; affiliated to The West Bengal University of Health Sciences, Kolkata, West Bengal, India"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0759-203X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Chandrima","family":"Chatterjee","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Materia Medica, D. N. De Homoeopathic Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata; affiliated to The West Bengal University of Health Sciences, Kolkata, West Bengal, India"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-2308-5265","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Subhranil","family":"Saha","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Repertory, D.N. De Homoeopathic Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata, West Bengal, India"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-4099-1609","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Satyajit","family":"Naskar","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Organon of Medicine and Homoeopathic Philosophy, D.N. De Homoeopathic Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata, West Bengal, India"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-4171-7510","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Pulakendu","family":"Bhattacharya","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Organon of Medicine and Homoeopathic Philosophy, D.N. De Homoeopathic Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata, West Bengal, India"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-7587-7526","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Sk Monsur","family":"Alam","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Repertory, D.N. De Homoeopathic Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata, West Bengal, India"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0002-5047-9147","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Sumana","family":"Sengupta","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Practice of Medicine, D.N. De Homoeopathic Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata, West Bengal, India"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-9860-7083","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Sabir","family":"Ahamed","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Surgery, D.N. De Homoeopathic Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata, West Bengal, India"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0449-5413","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Abdur R.","family":"Shaikh","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Practice of Medicine, D.N. De Homoeopathic Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata, West Bengal, India"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-4706-9692","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Munmun","family":"Koley","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Homoeopathy, East Bishnupur State Homoeopathic Dispensary, Chandi Daulatabad Block Primary Health Centre, West Bengal, India"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-7566-0132","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Priyanka","family":"Ghosh","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Organon of Medicine and Homoeopathic Philosophy, D.N. De Homoeopathic Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata, West Bengal, India"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-5773-2921","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Shyamal K.","family":"Mukherjee","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Community Medicine, D.N. De Homoeopathic Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata, West Bengal, India"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"194","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2023,9,25]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref1","first-page":"2479","volume-title":"The Association of Physicians of India. Vol 2. 10th ed","author":"Y P Munjal","year":"2015"},{"key":"ref2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"100587","DOI":"10.1016\/j.eclinm.2020.100587","article-title":"Global, regional prevalence, incidence and risk factors of knee osteoarthritis in population-based studies","volume":"29-30","author":"A Cui","year":"2020","journal-title":"EClinicalMedicine"},{"key":"ref3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"354","DOI":"10.4103\/jfmpc.jfmpc_1477_20","article-title":"Prevalence of knee osteoarthritis, its determinants, and impact on the quality of life in elderly persons in rural Ballabgarh, Haryana","volume":"10","author":"A Jaiswal","year":"2021","journal-title":"J Family Med Prim Care"},{"key":"ref4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"77","DOI":"10.5704\/MOJ.2107.012","article-title":"Nutritional status and health-related quality of life among knee and hip osteoarthritis patients under rehabilitation care in Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia","volume":"15","author":"N Zamri","year":"2021","journal-title":"Malays Orthop J"},{"key":"ref5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e0185676","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0185676","article-title":"The quality-of-life burden of knee osteoarthritis in New Zealand adults: a model-based evaluation","volume":"12","author":"J H Abbott","year":"2017","journal-title":"PLoS One"},{"key":"ref6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"101","DOI":"10.1080\/00913847.2016.1168272","article-title":"Intra-articular treatment of knee osteoarthritis: from anti-inflammatories to products of regenerative medicine","volume":"44","author":"M M Richards","year":"2016","journal-title":"Phys Sportsmed"},{"key":"ref7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"290","DOI":"10.2174\/1573397115666190328150203","article-title":"Analgesic herbal medicines in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis: a systematic review","volume":"15","author":"S Teymouri","year":"2019","journal-title":"Curr Rheumatol Rev"},{"key":"ref8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e028087","DOI":"10.1136\/bmjopen-2018-028087","article-title":"Prevalence of self-reported knee symptoms and management strategies among elderly individuals from Frederiksberg municipality: protocol for a prospective and pragmatic Danish cohort study","volume":"9","author":"E M Ginnerup-Nielsen","year":"2019","journal-title":"BMJ Open"},{"key":"ref9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2564","DOI":"10.1001\/jama.2018.19319","article-title":"Association of pharmacological treatments with long-term pain control in patients with knee osteoarthritis: a systematic review and meta-analysis","volume":"320","author":"D Gregori","year":"2018","journal-title":"JAMA"},{"key":"ref10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1099","DOI":"10.1093\/rheumatology\/kew036","article-title":"Use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs correlates with the risk of venous thromboembolism in knee osteoarthritis patients: a UK population-based case-control study","volume":"55","author":"T Lee","year":"2016","journal-title":"Rheumatology (Oxford)"},{"key":"ref11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"149","DOI":"10.1002\/acr.24131","article-title":"2019 American College of Rheumatology\/Arthritis Foundation guideline for the management of osteoarthritis of the hand, hip, and knee","volume":"72","author":"S L Kolasinski","year":"2020","journal-title":"Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken)"},{"key":"ref12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"37","DOI":"10.1054\/homp.1999.0449","article-title":"Homeopathic remedies for the treatment of osteoarthritis: a systematic review","volume":"90","author":"L Long","year":"2001","journal-title":"Br Homeopath J"},{"key":"ref13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"24","DOI":"10.13172\/2052-7845-1-3-1097","article-title":"Clinical trials of homoeopathy in osteoarthritis: a systematic review","volume":"1","author":"M Koley","year":"2013","journal-title":"OA Alternative Medicine"},{"key":"ref14","first-page":"89","article-title":"Osteoarthritic pain: a comparison of homoeopathy and acetaminophen","volume":"8","author":"C N Shealy","year":"1998","journal-title":"Am J Pain Manage"},{"key":"ref15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"714","DOI":"10.1093\/rheumatology\/39.7.714","article-title":"A randomized controlled trial comparing topical piroxicam gel with a homeopathic gel in osteoarthritis of the knee","volume":"39","author":"R A van Haselen","year":"2000","journal-title":"Rheumatology (Oxford)"},{"key":"ref16","first-page":"157","article-title":"Oral treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee with Zeel comp. \u2013 results of a double-blind equivalence study versus diclofenac","volume":"29","author":"U Maronna","year":"2000","journal-title":"Biol Med"},{"key":"ref17","first-page":"295","article-title":"Patienten mit Gonarthrose gewinnen ihre Mobilit\u00e4t zur\u03cbck","volume":"29","author":"W Str\u00f6sser","year":"2000","journal-title":"Biol Med"},{"key":"ref18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"186","DOI":"10.1177\/2156587214568668","article-title":"A double-blind randomized placebo-controlled feasibility study evaluating individualized homeopathy in managing pain of knee osteoarthritis","volume":"20","author":"M Koley","year":"2015","journal-title":"J Evid Based Complementary Altern Med"},{"key":"ref19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"182","DOI":"10.4103\/0974-7168.188238","article-title":"Effect of homoeopathic treatment on activity of daily living (ADL) in knee osteoarthritis: a prospective observational study","volume":"10","author":"F F Motiwala","year":"2016","journal-title":"Indian J Res Homoeopathy"},{"key":"ref20","first-page":"373","article-title":"World Medical Association Declaration of Helsinki. Ethical principles for medical research involving human subjects","volume":"79","author":"World Medical Association.","year":"2001","journal-title":"Bull World Health Organ"},{"key":"ref21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1039","DOI":"10.1002\/art.1780290816","article-title":"Development of criteria for the classification and reporting of osteoarthritis. Classification of osteoarthritis of the knee","volume":"29","author":"R Altman","year":"1986","journal-title":"Arthritis Rheum"},{"key":"ref22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"88","DOI":"10.2519\/jospt.1998.28.2.88","article-title":"Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) \u2013 development of a self-administered outcome measure","volume":"28","author":"E M Roos","year":"1998","journal-title":"J Orthop Sports Phys Ther"},{"key":"ref23","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"17","DOI":"10.1186\/1477-7525-1-17","article-title":"Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) \u2013 validation and comparison to the WOMAC in total knee replacement","volume":"1","author":"E M Roos","year":"2003","journal-title":"Health Qual Life Outcomes"},{"key":"ref24","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"64","DOI":"10.1186\/1477-7525-1-64","article-title":"The Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS): from joint injury to osteoarthritis","volume":"1","author":"E M Roos","year":"2003","journal-title":"Health Qual Life Outcomes"},{"key":"ref26","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1727","DOI":"10.1007\/s11136-011-9903-x","article-title":"Development and preliminary testing of the new five-level version of EQ-5D (EQ-5D-5L)","volume":"20","author":"M Herdman","year":"2011","journal-title":"Qual Life Res"},{"key":"ref27","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"i5239","DOI":"10.1136\/bmj.i5239","article-title":"CONSORT 2010 statement: extension to randomised pilot and feasibility trials","volume":"355","author":"S M Eldridge","year":"2016","journal-title":"BMJ"},{"key":"ref28","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"42","DOI":"10.1016\/j.homp.2006.11.006","article-title":"Reporting data on homeopathic treatments (RedHot): a supplement to CONSORT","volume":"96","author":"M E Dean","year":"2007","journal-title":"Homeopathy"},{"key":"ref29","first-page":"414","volume-title":"The Homoeopathic Domestic Physician, 11th American ed","author":"C Hering","year":"1904"},{"key":"ref30","first-page":"899","volume-title":"Physiological Materia Medica. 5th ed","author":"W MH Burt","year":"1896"},{"key":"ref31","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"180","DOI":"10.1177\/2156587214568459","article-title":"Documentation of prescriptions and clinical outcomes in a homeopathic hospital setting in West Bengal, India","volume":"20","author":"S Saha","year":"2015","journal-title":"J Evid Based Complementary Altern Med"},{"key":"ref32","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"103","DOI":"10.4103\/ijrh.ijrh_86_19","article-title":"An observational study on the effect of individualized homoeopathic medicine administered based on totality of symptoms vis-\u00e0-vis personality in cases of osteoarthritis knee","volume":"15","author":"N R Kumar","year":"2021","journal-title":"Indian J Res Homoeopathy"}],"container-title":["Homeopathy"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"http:\/\/www.thieme-connect.de\/products\/ejournals\/pdf\/10.1055\/s-0043-1771025.pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2024,11,5]],"date-time":"2024-11-05T10:06:19Z","timestamp":1730801179000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"http:\/\/www.thieme-connect.de\/DOI\/DOI?10.1055\/s-0043-1771025"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2023,9,25]]},"references-count":31,"journal-issue":{"issue":"03","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2024,7,26]]},"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2024,8]]}},"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1055\/s-0043-1771025","archive":["Portico","CLOCKSS"],"relation":{},"ISSN":["1475-4916","1476-4245"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1475-4916","type":"print"},{"value":"1476-4245","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2023,9,25]]}}}