Complementary and Alternative Medicine Combined with Symptomatic Treatment Improves Symptoms in COVID-19 Patients
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Abstract
Introduction: The global population has been severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The exploration of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) as a potential complement to standard management for COVID-19 is essential, but it requires conclusive evidence. This observational study aimed to investigate the association between CAM and improvements in COVID-19 symptoms, the incidence of such improvements, the utilization of complementary methods, and the stages of the disease.
Methods: This research involved a secondary data analysis that compared baseline characteristics, treatment modalities, symptoms, and vital signs before and after treatment in a randomized sample of 881 COVID-19 patients. Medical records from April to May 2021 were collected, and 273 participants were included in the study.
Results: Among the respondents, 131 (47.9%) received andrographis capsules alongside symptomatic treatment, 87 (31.9%) received Homeopathic medicine with symptomatic treatment, 33 (12.1%) received symptomatic treatment only, and 22 (8.1%) received Lianhua Qingwen alongside symptomatic treatment. When comparing the proportion of improvements after treatment, it was found that 28 (32.2%) of the 87 participants who received homeopathic medicine alongside symptomatic treatment exhibited the highest improvement in chest x-ray results. The highest proportion of patients receiving Lianhua Qingwen alongside symptomatic treatment showed favorable changes in vital signs, with 9 (41.0%) of the 22 participants demonstrating improvement. Strong evidence of improvement in symptoms was observed with andrographis capsules alongside symptomatic treatment, with 109 (83.2%) of the 131 participants experiencing improvement. Comorbidities among participants and the stage of the disease were found to significantly influence the effectiveness of these four treatment methods (p-value < 0.010).
Conclusion: This study suggests an association between CAM and improving COVID-19 symptoms. Homeopathic medicine showed considerable improvement in chest x-ray results, while andrographis capsules in the symptomatic treatment group demonstrated notable improvement in symptoms. The most remarkable improvement in vital signs was correlated with using Lianhua Qingwen.
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