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The placebo effect in the treatment of asthma is quite significant: it might be a good idea to confront asthma on an emotional level from the very start. An American study showed the strong placebo effect (at least 30%) in asthma sufferers. Two conclusions may be drawn from this: 1) the effectiveness of the drugs that are currently in use should be re-examined. 2). The patient should always be treated with a global approach that not only uses drugs, but that seeks to make use of his mental resources as well
The placebo effect in the treatment of asthma is quite significant: it might be a good idea to confront asthma on an emotional level from the very start. An American study showed the strong placebo effect (at least 30%) in asthma sufferers. Two conclusions may be drawn from this: 1) the effectiveness of the drugs that are currently in use should be re-examined. 2). The patient should always be treated with a global approach that not only uses drugs, but that seeks to make use of his mental resources as well.
In America, a group of asthmatics was studied by way of a singular "deceptive" procedure aimed at understanding the psychological value of an inert substance (the placebo) in asthma treatment(Kemeny ME et al, J Allergy Clin Immun, 2007 Jun;119(6):1375-81. Epub 2007 Apr 23). This recently published study is extremely interesting because of the way in which it was conducted as well as for the practical considerations that can be gathered from it.
The consent form that the patients signed at the beginning of the study was an important part of the project: they were told that the study would compare two active drugs (which was false, but the organization's ethic committee was informed of this fact). The participants signed a supplementary consent form that revealed the "trick" only at the end of the study. Therefore the people who took part in the study were convinced that they were using an active drug.
As part of the study, the researchers also wanted to see whether a precise motivational boost on the doctor's part (time spent with patient, type of message, way of dressing, psychological reinforcement, etc. in one group, compared with sloppiness, scarce amount of time dedicated to patient, minimization of the effects, and doubting messages in the other group) could provide advantages.
The test showed that in the prevention of the asthma crisis induced during the test with methacoline (a special procedure used during spirometry), the inert drug, or placebo, had a clear and precise action which wa responsible for 30% of the effect. The placebo's action was less intense than the real active drug (a beta 2 stimulant), but still had an important therapeutic action.
Surprisingly, the responses to the motivational factor were of little significance. The strongest effect was represented by the symbolic icon of therapeutic ability, that is, the act of introducing a substance into the body.
Therefore, a great portion of therapy response depends on a patient's psycho-emotional action, something that Eurosalus has been saying for years. It would be wise to keep this in mind because overlooking it could lead to failures of a serious nature.
Considering the fact that any drug that has been experimented up to today owes at least half of its effect to a mental action (that is , the placebo effect), the costly anti-asthmatic drugs should take a more humble stance in the therapeutical context.in order to provide greater autonomy to people who are trying to recover.
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