M.Tech. / Cat allergy can be defined as an abnormal immune response by the body to cat dander or cat saliva, which is considered to be a harmless environmental agent. In individuals who display a hypersensitivity to cats, exposure can manifest in a complex of symptoms which can negatively influence their normal day to day functioning. Conventional treatment for cat allergy comprises of antihistamines and decongestants, which have many adverse effects and in many patients prolonged use can result in the development of a tolerance to that particular drug. To date no research has been conducted on the homoeopathic complex of Cat saliva 9cH and Histaminum 9cH for treating the symptoms of cat allergy. The aim of this study was to determine the efficacy of Cat saliva 9cH and Histaminum 9cH in treating the symptoms of cat allergy, by use of an allergy skin prick test and a symptom score card. The complex of Cat saliva 9cH and Histaminum 9cH was prepared according to homoeopathic principles and prescribed according to isopathic principles. Thirty participants between the ages of 18 and 45 both male and female, who all had a positive test result for an allergy skin prick test specifically to cat allergen, were selected for this four week, double blind, placebo-controlled study. During the conduction of the skin prick test the wheal diameter, flare reaction and degree of itchiness were measured at the beginning of the study (week 1) and at the end of the study (week 4). The participants were randomly divided into the experimental and control group. The control group received the placebo and the experimental group received the homoeopathic complex of Cat saliva 9cH and Histaminum 9cH. Participants were asked to take two tablets sublingually in the morning and two tablets at night for the duration of the study period (4 weeks). Each participant received a score card which rated the severity, frequency and duration of their symptoms and was completed at the end of each week. The results were statistically analysed using the Mann-Whitney U Test, the Friedman-K Related Samples Test, the Wilcoxon Signed Ranks Test, Independent-Samples T-Test and descriptive statistics. The results showed that the iv homoeopathic complex of Cat saliva 9cH and Histaminum 9cH had improved all symptoms in the experimental group, however when compared to the control group was only found to be statistically significant in improving the severity of the symptom “runny itchy stuffy nose”, the frequency of the symptoms “red itchy eyes”, “runny itchy stuffy nose” and “sneezing”, as well as improving the duration of the symptom “runny itchy stuffy nose”.

<p>Studies concerning social consequences, gastrointestinal and urinary tract symptoms were conducted in a population-based cohort comprising patients with long-standing type 1 diabetes and matched control persons. Three different questionnaires were sent by mail to diabetic patients and control persons. After a mean duration of 28.7±2.6 years, compared to the controls the diabetic patients showed an almost 10 times higher mortality, a lower employment rate and greater need for welfare benefits. These differences were mainly due to diabetic late complications. Education, housing conditions, life-style, civil state, alcohol and smoking habits were similar in the two groups. The prevalence of gastrointestinal symptoms was significantly higher in the diabetic patients than in the controls, and this was found to be attributable to the female diabetic patients. Female diabetic patients had been treated with antibiotics for urinary tract infections more often than controls, they experienced more social problems than controls in daily life because of urinary tract problems and used clamps to prevent wetting more often than did controls. </p><p>Body composition and bone mineral density were evaluated in parts of the cohort with long-standing type 1 diabetes and control persons in another population-based cohort comprising diabetic females aged 16-19 years with type 1 diabetes since childhood and matched controls. Besides a tendency to reduced abdominal fat mass in diabetic males, no difference was observed in fat mass, muscle mass or bone mineral density between the patients with long-standing type 1 diabetes and controls. Significant correlations were found between insulin dosage and whole body fat mass in diabetic females and between serum cholesterol levels and abdominal fat mass in diabetic males. The female adolescents had a higher body mass index than the controls, and their overweight was shown to consist almost entirely of an increased fat mass. The distribution of fat, expressed as abdominal-to-leg ratio, correlated significantly to HbA1c and daily dosage of insulin. Bone mineral density did not differ between the groups. IGF I was significantly lower both in patients with long-standing type 1 diabetes and in the adolescent diabetic females compared with their matched controls.</p>

Studies concerning social consequences, gastrointestinal and urinary tract symptoms were conducted in a population-based cohort comprising patients with long-standing type 1 diabetes and matched control persons. Three different questionnaires were sent by mail to diabetic patients and control persons. After a mean duration of 28.7±2.6 years, compared to the controls the diabetic patients showed an almost 10 times higher mortality, a lower employment rate and greater need for welfare benefits. These differences were mainly due to diabetic late complications. Education, housing conditions, life-style, civil state, alcohol and smoking habits were similar in the two groups. The prevalence of gastrointestinal symptoms was significantly higher in the diabetic patients than in the controls, and this was found to be attributable to the female diabetic patients. Female diabetic patients had been treated with antibiotics for urinary tract infections more often than controls, they experienced more social problems than controls in daily life because of urinary tract problems and used clamps to prevent wetting more often than did controls. Body composition and bone mineral density were evaluated in parts of the cohort with long-standing type 1 diabetes and control persons in another population-based cohort comprising diabetic females aged 16-19 years with type 1 diabetes since childhood and matched controls. Besides a tendency to reduced abdominal fat mass in diabetic males, no difference was observed in fat mass, muscle mass or bone mineral density between the patients with long-standing type 1 diabetes and controls. Significant correlations were found between insulin dosage and whole body fat mass in diabetic females and between serum cholesterol levels and abdominal fat mass in diabetic males. The female adolescents had a higher body mass index than the controls, and their overweight was shown to consist almost entirely of an increased fat mass. The distribution of fat, expressed as abdominal-to-leg ratio, correlated significantly to HbA1c and daily dosage of insulin. Bone mineral density did not differ between the groups. IGF I was significantly lower both in patients with long-standing type 1 diabetes and in the adolescent diabetic females compared with their matched controls.