Abstract
Objective: Currently available medical treatment options for patients with environmentally related diseases and objective toxic burden have not been shown to be effective in therapeutic studies according to stringent methodological criteria. Design: Randomized controlled trial. Patients were randomized into three groups: the ” experimental treatment group” (EG) receiving a complex and intensive therapy protocol, the ” control treatment group” (CG) receiving similar treatment with modified intensity and placebo wherever possible, the ” waiting group” (WG) with no treatment. Participants: 36 outpatients with defined toxic burden below NOAEL levels and multiple complaints, but no psychotizism or hypochondrizism. Evaluation/Measurements: Outcome parameters included psychic and somatic variables related to psychological well-being, neuropsychological abilitiy and serum concentrations of selected persistent organochlorides. RESULTS: Treatment effects were generally seen in psychological and neuropsychological tests between EG to WG. Differences were significant in most psychological life quality parameters. Patients of EG described less complaints after the treatment than those of CG. Further positive effects were observed in time-dependent cognitive measurements (ZVT, d2, WL-G). Biomonitoring parameters did not indicate any changes in toxic burden. Conclusion And Relevance To Clinical Practice: Our data indicate support for the efficacy of the complex therapy for affected patients. The lack of correlation between psychological and neuropsychological improvement and body burdens needs further studies.
Hüppe, M. & Müller, J. & Schulze, Johannes & Wernze, H. & Ohnsorge, Peter. (2009). Treatment of patients burdened with lipophilic toxicants: A randomized controlled trial. Activitas Nervosa Superior Rediviva. 51. 133-141.