CTRI Number |
CTRI/2022/04/041659 [Registered on: 05/04/2022] Trial Registered Prospectively |
Last Modified On: |
18/07/2023 |
Post Graduate Thesis |
Yes |
Type of Trial |
Interventional |
Type of Study
|
Homeopathy |
Study Design |
Randomized, Parallel Group, Placebo Controlled Trial |
Public Title of Study
|
Homoeopathic treatment of irregular menses |
Scientific Title of Study
|
Repertorial approach of treating menstrual irregularities with
individualized homoeopathic medicines in early reproductive age group: A Double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled efficacy trial |
Trial Acronym |
|
Secondary IDs if Any
|
Secondary ID |
Identifier |
U1111-1276-3989 |
UTN |
|
Details of Principal Investigator or overall Trial Coordinator (multi-center study)
|
Name |
Usashi Nag |
Designation |
Postgraduate Trainee |
Affiliation |
D N De Homoeopathic Medical College and Hospital |
Address |
Department of Repertory, PG 3 OPD, 12, Gobinda Khatick Road, Tangra
Kolkata WEST BENGAL 700046 India |
Phone |
8250807906 |
Fax |
|
Email |
usashinag96@gmail.com |
|
Details of Contact Person Scientific Query
|
Name |
Prof Dr Rajat Kumar Pal |
Designation |
Professor and Head |
Affiliation |
D N De Homoeopathic Medical College and Hospital |
Address |
Department of Repertory, PG 3 OPD,12, Gobinda Khatick Road, Tangra
Kolkata WEST BENGAL 700046 India |
Phone |
9433130996 |
Fax |
|
Email |
drrajatkumarpal@gmail.com |
|
Details of Contact Person Public Query
|
Name |
Prof Dr Rajat Kumar Pal |
Designation |
Professor and Head |
Affiliation |
D N De Homoeopathic Medical College and Hospital |
Address |
Department of Repertory, PG 3 OPD,12, Gobinda Khatick Road, Tangra
Kolkata WEST BENGAL 700046 India |
Phone |
9433130996 |
Fax |
|
Email |
drrajatkumarpal@gmail.com |
|
Source of Monetary or Material Support
|
D N De Homoeopathic Medical College and Hospital, 12, Gobinda Khatick Road, Tangra, Kolkata 700046, West Bengal |
|
Primary Sponsor
|
Name |
D N De Homoeopathic Medical College and Hospital |
Address |
12, Gobinda Khatick Road, Tangra, Kolkata 700046, West Bengal |
Type of Sponsor |
Government medical college |
|
Details of Secondary Sponsor
|
|
Countries of Recruitment
|
India |
Sites of Study
|
No of Sites = 1 |
Name of Principal
Investigator |
Name of Site |
Site Address |
Phone/Fax/Email |
Usashi Nag |
D N De Homoeopathic Medical College & Hospital |
Department of Repertory, PG 3 OPD, 12, Gobinda Khatick Road, Tangra, Kolkata 700046 Kolkata WEST BENGAL |
8250807906
usashinag96@gmail.com |
|
Details of Ethics Committee
|
No of Ethics Committees= 1 |
Name of Committee |
Approval Status |
Institutional Ethical Committee of D. N. De Homoeopathic Medical College and Hospital |
Approved |
|
Regulatory Clearance Status from DCGI
|
|
Health Condition / Problems Studied
|
Health Type |
Condition |
Patients |
(1) ICD-10 Condition: N926||Irregular menstruation, unspecified, |
|
Intervention / Comparator Agent
|
Type |
Name |
Details |
Comparator Agent |
Identical-looking placebos |
This arm will receive placebo, identical in appearance with the verum. Each dose of placebo shall consist of 4 globules (no. 40) of cane sugar moistened with rectified spirit, to be taken orally on clean tongue with empty stomach; dosage and repetition depending upon the individual requirement of the cases. Duration of therapy: 4 months. Both medicines and placebos will be re-packed in identical glass bottles and labelled with code, name of medicine,
potency, and will be dispensed according to the random number list. Patients will be advised to refrain from handling the globules or from eating, drinking, smoking or brushing teeth within 30 minutes of taking the globules and will be asked to suck the globules rather than simply swallowing those. Duration of therapy: 4 months. |
Intervention |
Indicated homoeopathic medicines in centesimal potencies |
Intervention is planned as administering indicated
homoeopathic medicines in centesimal potencies. Each dose will consist of 4 globules (no. 40) of cane sugar, medicated with the indicated medicine (preserved in 90% v/v ethanol) to be taken orally on clean tongue with empty stomach; dosage and repetition depending upon the individual requirement of the cases. Patients will be advised to refrain from handling the globules or
from eating, drinking, smoking or brushing teeth within 30 minutes of taking the globules and will be asked to suck the globules rather than simply swallowing those. Single individualized medicine will be prescribed on each occasion taking into account presenting symptom totality, clinical history details,constitutional features, miasmatic expressions, repertorisation using HOMPATH and RADAR software when required with due consultation of Materia Medica and due consensus among three homoeopaths. All the medicines and sundry items will be procured from a Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP)-certified firm. Duration of therapy: 4 months. |
|
Inclusion Criteria
|
Age From |
11.00 Year(s) |
Age To |
25.00 Year(s) |
Gender |
Female |
Details |
1. Patients suffering from menstrual irregularities (ICD 10: N92.6)
2. Differential diagnosis established by USG and other laboratory investigations as appropriate.
3. Age: 11-25 years.
4. Patients taking oral contraceptive pills will be considered for the study after giving a wash-out period of 1 month.
5. Literate patients, who can read and write in Bengali, and/or English.
6. Patients giving written informed consent to participate in the study |
|
ExclusionCriteria |
Details |
1. Patients suffering from carcinoma of cervix, chronic tubo-ovarian mass, endometrial carcinoma, genital tuberculosis.
2. Vulnerable population – unconscious, ambulatory, too sick for consultation, differently abled, terminally or critically ill patients, mentally incompetent people.
3. Diagnosed cases of unstable mental or psychiatric illness or other uncontrolled
or life- threatening illness affecting quality of life or any organ failure.
4. Blood haemoglobin level less than 7g/dl.
5. Participants with habits of tobacco chewing and/or smoking, alcoholism and/or any other
form(s) of substance abuse and/or dependence.
6. Self-reported immune-compromised state.
7. Undergoing homeopathic treatment for any chronic disease within last 6 months. |
|
Method of Generating Random Sequence
|
Permuted block randomization, variable |
Method of Concealment
|
Pre-numbered or coded identical Containers |
Blinding/Masking
|
Participant, Investigator, Outcome Assessor and Date-entry Operator Blinded |
Primary Outcome
|
Outcome |
TimePoints |
The proportion of participants between groups in whom menstrual irregularities can be corrected |
Baseline, after each menstrual cycle, up to 4 cycles |
|
Secondary Outcome
|
Outcome |
TimePoints |
Menstrual Distress Questionnaire (MDQ) score |
Baseline, and after each menstrual cycle, up to 4 cycles |
|
Target Sample Size
|
Total Sample Size="92" Sample Size from India="92"
Final Enrollment numbers achieved (Total)= "92"
Final Enrollment numbers achieved (India)="92" |
Phase of Trial
|
Phase 2/ Phase 3 |
Date of First Enrollment (India)
|
11/04/2022 |
Date of Study Completion (India) |
13/06/2023 |
Date of First Enrollment (Global) |
Date Missing |
Date of Study Completion (Global) |
Date Missing |
Estimated Duration of Trial
|
Years="1" Months="6" Days="0" |
Recruitment Status of Trial (Global)
Modification(s)
|
Not Applicable |
Recruitment Status of Trial (India) |
Completed |
Publication Details
|
Not yet, to be published |
Individual Participant Data (IPD) Sharing Statement
|
Will individual participant data (IPD) be shared publicly (including data dictionaries)?
Response - YES
- What data in particular will be shared?
Response - Individual participant data that underlie the results reported in this article, after de-identification (text, tables, figures, and appendices).
- What additional supporting information will be shared?
Response - Study Protocol Response - Statistical Analysis Plan
- Who will be able to view these files?
Response - Researchers whose proposed use of the data has been approved by an independent review committee identified for this purpose.
- For what types of analyses will this data be available?
Response - Any purpose.
- By what mechanism will data be made available?
Response - Proposals should be directed to [usashinag96@gmail.com].
- For how long will this data be available start date provided 01-01-2024 and end date provided 31-12-2028?
Response - Beginning 3 months and ending 5 years following article publication.
- Any URL or additional information regarding plan/policy for sharing IPD?
Additional Information - Nil
|
Brief Summary
Modification(s)
|
Prevalence of irregular menstrual cycle ranges from 81.7 to 96.3% and absenteeism from school due to menstrual discomfort ranges from 80.6 to 63.5%. Recent research suggested that homoeopathy is one of the most popular choices for women with various gynaecological disorders. This trial was aimed at differentiating individualized homoeopathic medicines (IHMs) from identical-looking placebos in the treatment of menstrual irregularities in women of the early reproductive age group. A four-month, double-blind, randomized (1:1), placebo-controlled trial was conducted on 92 females with menstrual irregularities at D. N. De Homoeopathic Medical College and Hospital. Participants were randomized into either verum (IHMs, n = 46) or control (placebos; n = 46). The primary outcome measure was the proportion of participants between groups in whom menstrual irregularities could be corrected. The secondary outcome was MDQ (Menstrual Distress Questionnaire) and its subscales. All the outcomes were measured at monthly intervals of up to 4 months. Group differences were estimated on the intention-to-treat sample. After 4 months of intervention, the group difference in the primary outcome was non-significant statistically (P = 0.835). The improvement observed in the MDQ total score and subscales scores were higher in the IHMs group than in placebos, however, statistically non-significant in most of the occasions, except for the behavioural change subscale (P < 0.001). Pulsatilla nigricans was the most frequently prescribed medicine. Kent’s Repertory and Complete were the most frequently used repertories. Overall the result remains inconclusive – the analysis fails to demonstrate clearly that IHMs were effective beyond placebos in most of the outcomes. More appropriate outcome measures should be sought for future trials. |