Prevalence and Likelihood Ratio of Six Objective Signs among Good Responders to Natrum muriaticum: Multi-centre Observational Assessment

Abstract

Background The reliability of homeopathic prescriptions may increase through resource to objective signs and guiding symptoms with significant positive likelihood ratio (LR). We estimated LR for six objective signs attributed to the homeopathic medicine Natrum muriaticum (Nat-m).

Methods In this multi-centre observational assessment, we investigated the prevalence of six signs in the general patient population and among good responders to Nat-m in daily homeopathic practice. Next, we calculated LR for these six signs.

Results Data from 36 good responders to Nat-m and 836 general population patients were compared. We found statistically significant positive LR (95% confidence interval) for signs such as lip cracks (1.94; 1.15 to 3.24), recurrent herpes (2.29; 1.20 to 4.37), hairline eruptions (2.07; 1.03 to 4.18), and dry hands (2.13; 1.23 to 3.69).

Conclusions Objective signs with significant positive LR might increase the reliability of homeopathic prescriptions. Further studies are warranted to confirm the validity of this approach.

Keywords

prescription - objective signs - Bayesian statistics - reliability - likelihood ratio

Highlights

• Objective signs may contribute to improving the reliability of homeopathic prescriptions.

• Bayesian analysis allows estimating likelihood ratios for prescription guiding symptoms.

• We found significant positive LRs for four objective signs of Natrium muriaticum.

• Prescriptions involving these four signs may be more reliable.

Publication History

Received: 18 March 2020

Accepted: 20 July 2020

Article published online:
22 January 2021

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