Correlation of improvement in symptoms of depression and improvement in somatic manifestations of hypothyroidism with constitutional homoeopathic treatment

Abstract

Background: Hypothyroidism and Depression are common diseases. Independent studies on hypothyroidism and depression found constitutional homoeopathic treatment effective. A clinical study is required to establish the relationship between their responses to Homoeopathic treatment. Aim and Objectives: To assess the correlation in the improvement of Depression with the improvement of somatic manifestations in cases of Hypothyroidism having associated Depression; to assess the improvement in Depression by utilizing HAM-D score and improvement t in somatic manifestations of Hypothyroidism by utilizing Zulewski score. Materials and Methods: A prospective clinical study was conducted at the National Institute of Homoeopathy on 30 patients having Depression associated with Hypothyroidism treated with constitutional homoeopathic medicine for 3 months. Depression and physical symptoms of hypothyroidism were assessed by the HAM-D scale and Zulewski scale respectively. The correlation between the two responses was analysed. Results: After treatment, the mean decrease in HAM-D score was 8.96 and in Zulewski score was 3.70. The decrease in HAM-D and Zulewski score was statistically significant. (P < 0.01 in both series). Pearson’s correlation coefficient (r): 0.736. Conclusion: There is a strong partially positive correlation between improvement of Depression and improvement of somatic manifestations in Hypothyroidism patients having associated Depression with Constitutional Homoeopathic Treatment.