Focus on Alternative and Complementary Therapies
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Focus Alternat Complement Ther©2005 Pharmaceutical Press
Focus Altern Complement Ther 2004; 9: 63
The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of a standardised Crataegus oxycantha (hawthorn) product, Crataegus Special Extract WS 1442, when added to standard medical therapy in 120 patients with mild to moderately severe systolic heart failure.
A randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.
We will be reporting on the results of C. oxycantha Special Extract vs. placebo at 6 months on submaximal exercise capacity as determined by the 6-min walk test as well as on the following secondary objectives: (i) physician and patient global assessment, (ii) disease specific quality of life as determined by the Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire, (iii) functional capacity as accessed by peak exercise oxygen consumption (peak VO2) and anaerobic threshold during maximal cardiopulmonary treadmill exercise testing, (iv) functional capacity as subjectively assessed by New York Heart Association functional classifications, (v) left ventricular ejection fraction, (vi) mortality risk as determined by the Heart Failure Survival Score, (vii) neurohormone profile, (viii) cytokine profile, (ix) oxidative stress, (x) inflammation, (xi) global quality of life and utility for health status (as determined by the EuroQol-5D questionnaire, (xii) hospitalisations (heart failure-related, cardiovascular and total) and (xiii) hospital days (heart-failure-related, cardiovascular and total).
Based on these results we will be presenting implications for clinical and further research with C. oxycantha Special Extract WS 1442 in chronic heart failure.
Funding was provided by the University of Michigan General Clinical Research Center and a grant from the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine P50-AT-00011.
