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Abstract
A double-blind, randomized clinical trial to compare homœopathic treatment versus
placebo in the treatment of acute childhood diarrhoea was carried out in Leon, Nicaragua,
in July 1990. 34 children aged 6 months to 5 years were randomized into active and
placebo groups, both of which also received oral rehydration treatment. The mean duration
of diarrhoea after treatment in the active group was 2.4 days, compared to 3.0 days
in the placebo group, which was not statistically significant. Exploratory analysis
revealed a statistically significant decrease (p=0.04) in the subgroup of patients
for which an aetiological agent was found. There was also a significant difference
in number of stools per day in the treated group (p=0.002) at the end of the treatment
period. Since small numbers prevent a definitive conclusion from this study, further
study with a larger sample size would seem appropriate.
Keywords
Diarrhoea - Diarrhoea, infantile - Homœopathy - Rotavirus infections - Nicaragua
