Measuring outcomes of CM (CHM or AP]

[Guest guest]

Hi All,

 

I see little problem in measuring outcomes of therapy, be it

conventional medicine, AP or CHM.

 

The usual convention is to establich a BASELINE for physiological

and other parameters of interest, and the severity of S & Ss pre-

treatment, using measurable units.

 

For example parameters to be measured might include:

1. Bodyweight [in lbs or kg]

2. Blood pressure [mm Hg systolic & diastolic]

3. Heart Rate [beats/min]

4. Respiration rate [breaths/minute], coughs/hour, expectoration

volume (ml/day] and inspiration and expiration power [as used in

asthma assessment]

5. Body temp [DegC or DegF]

6. serum enzymes, glucose, BUN, bilirubin, etc]

7. Urine output [ml/urination and total ml/day], urination speed

[ml/minute from start to end of each urination], urination frequency

[trips to urinate/day], urine specific gravity (g/ml), urine protein,

urine sugar, urine ketone, etc.

8. Faecal output [g/defecation and total g/day], defecation speed

[gl/minute from start to end of each defecation], defecation

frequency [trips to defecate/day], faecal water content (%), faecal

occult blood, faecal bacterial types [E.colii, salmonella, etc], faecal

parasite eggs/larvae, etc, faecal protozoal types, etc

9. Drug usage [doses of specific drugs used/day]

10. Hours or days/week in bed.

11. Days/week off work due to the disorder.

12. Number of times [after first sleep] wakened/night, number of

trips to toilet after going to bed at night.

etc

13. Hand grip, arm strength (adduction/abduction, upward lifting

and downward pressing), using an adapted scales or dynanometer.

14. Male sexual activity [number of attempted erections/week, %

attempted erections successful, % successful erections that

ended in orgasm, orgasms/week, etc]

15. Pace length [mean distance (cm/pace) over 20 paces]

etc [lame subjects usually have short pace-length]

17. Joint movement [maximum range of movement [ROM], say of

the knee, as measured on a goniometer]

18. [Re shoulder/arm restriction] With the arm raised above the

head, how far DOWN the thoracic spines can one reach with each

arm [cm from the lower edge of, say, C7].

 

With the arm placed behind the lumbar area, how far UP the

thoracic spines can one reach with each arm [cm from the lower

edge of, say, C7]

 

These are all straightforward measurements. Many can be

measured by the subject if he/she will comply with keeping the

records accurately.

 

In that regard, it is essential to provide each subject with a diary,

preformatted to include columns or rows for all parameters to be

measured.

 

It is also essential to provide the hardware, or test kits, to be used

[for example, scales, dynanometers, stop-watch, measuring

cylinders, urine hydrometer, urine-dipsticks, etc].

 

It is more difficult to score some S & Ss, but most can be scored on

visual-analogue-scales (VASs).These can range from 0-5, 0-10, or

0-100, where 0=none and the top score (5, 10 or 100, depending on

the scale used) represents the most severe, or almost intolerable,

S/S.

 

For example:

PAIN (say, VAS 0-10)

Spasm (say, VAS 0-10)

Dreams, nightmares (VAS 0=none recalled; VAS 10 = severely

dream-disturbed sleep)

 

IMO, most if not all subjective and objective indices of health, well-

being and dysfunction can be measured directly, or scored on a

VAS scale.

 

Comparison of the scores before, at intervals during, and at 3, 6

and 12 months after the start of therapy can give a reasonable

assessment of the subject's clinical outcome to Tx.

 

IMO, it is possible to compare many forms of therapy if sufficient

subjects are studied in properly randomised groups.

 

For example, one could compare the Pre-Post Tx outcomes for :

(1) Negative Control [No Tx, or a placebo Tx [say lactose tablet]];

(2) AP Tx;

(3) CHM Tx;

(4) Positive Control [ " state of the art " conventional Tx]

 

Individualised Tx, as in expert AP or CHM, poses special

difficulties in randomised double-blind controlled studies. However,

IMO, it is a cop-out [and adverse for the public- and scientific-

image of alternative/complementary therapies] for us to claim that

they cannot be researched side-by-side with conventional

(allopathic) therapies in an unbiased and objective way.

 

Where there is a will [and adequate research funding!], there is a

way ...

 

 

Best regards,

 

Email: <

 

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