TRAUMEEL® PRODUCT MONOGRAPH46

Traumeel® compared with NSAIDs for symptomatic treatment of epicondylitis

Birnesser H, Oberbaum M, Klein P, Weiser M. The homeopathic preparation Traumeel® S compared with NSAIDs for symptomatic treatment of epicondylitis. J Musculoskeletal Research 2004;8(2 3):119 128.

Study design Patients with diagnosed epicondylitis were treated with:

Traumeel® injection (local infiltration) n=86: 40 male, 43 female; mean age 48.6 years.

NSAIDs (unspecified, mainly diclofenac 51.9%) injection (systemic, mainly intramuscular) n=77: 40 male, 36 female; mean age 45.8 years.

Other treatments were allowed, e.g. oral analgesics or physiotherapy, but while Traumeel® patients were allowed further injections, they were not allowed oral NSAIDs: 41.6% of the NSAID group received oral NSAIDs.

Assessments conducted at weeks 1 and 2.

Outcome measures Pain: local pressure pain, pain with movement, pain at rest. 5-point scale: 0=no

pain, 1=light, 2=moderate, 3=strong, 4=severe. Mobility: extensional joint mobility, torsional joint mobility. 4-point scale:

1=normal, 2=lightly impaired, 3=moderately impaired, 4=heavily impaired. Global assessment of efficacy: time to first improvement, outcome of therapy

(very successful, successful, moderate, unsuccessful), compliance (very high, high, moderate, low).

STUDY DESIGN FORMULATION INDICATION(S) Non-randomized, observational study.

Traumeel® injection. Epicondylitis.