Abstract

EFFECTS OF HONEY SUPPLEMENTATION ON CHILDREN WITH IDIOPATHIC DILATED CARDIOMYOPATHY: A RANDOMIZED SINGLE BLINDED CONTROLLED STUDY

Dr. Mamdouh Abdulmaksoud Abdulrhman*, Neveen Mohamed Mamdouh, Waleed Mohamed El Guindy and Suaad Abu khuzam Faraj

Abstract

Objectives: Evaluation of the effects of 12-weeks honey consumption on the echocardiographic parameters of children with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (IDCM). Design: This study was a randomized controlled study, which was carried out on 54 children, aged 2 to 12 years, suffering from IDCM. They were randomly assigned to two groups: the honey group and the control group. Setting: The study was conducted at the Children’s Hospital of Ain Shams University, Egypt during the period from November, 2015 to May 2016. Intervention: In the honey group, honey was provided in a dose of 1.2g/kg/day for three months in addition to the standard heart failure medical therapy. The patients in the control group received only their standard medical treatment, without honey. The main outcome measure was the percent change in the ejection fraction (EF) and the fraction shortening (FS) shown in echocardiography after 12 weeks. Results: In both groups, the FS and the EF increased after 12 weeks, but the rate of increase of either parameter was significantly higher in the honey group (p = 0.00). The other echocardiographic parameters, on the other hand, did not show significant change between the two groups. The honey ingestion was well tolerated and did not produce side effects in the patients of the honey group. Conclusion: Twelve weeks- honey consumption resulted in significant improvement in the EF and FS in a group of children suffering from IDCM.

Keywords: Honey; antioxidants; dilated cardiomyopathy; children.