Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use among children with current asthma.

Objective: To estimate the prevalence of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use among children with current asthma.

Design: We analyzed data from the Asthma Call Back Survey (ACBS) 2006-2008. ACBS is a follow-up to the state-based Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) survey that collects information on asthma and related factors including CAM use for asthma.

Asthma outcome measures.

Asthma is a common chronic disease with underlying inflammation of the airway. Advances in science have led to increased understanding of the heterogeneous nature of asthma and its complex mechanisms. Traditionally, asthma-practice guidelines have focused on optimizing lung function and the US FDA has required increases in lung function and reduction of exacerbation as primary outcomes in clinical trials of new asthma therapeutics.

Characteristics of complementary and alternative medicine use among adults with current asthma, 2006.

Background: Prevalence estimates of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use among persons with asthma vary widely; prior studies reported that patients do not discuss CAM use with their physicians. The authors examined the prevalence and characteristics of CAM use among adults with asthma to prepare physicians to discuss CAM use with their patients.

Methods: CAM use among adults with current asthma was analyzed using the 2006 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) data from a subset of 25 states that completed the follow-up Asthma Callback Survey.

Acupuncture-point stimulation for chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting.

Purpose: Assess the effectiveness of acupuncture-point stimulation on acute and delayed chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting in cancer patients.

Materials And Methods: Randomized trials of acupuncture-point stimulation by needles, electrical stimulation, magnets, or acupressure were retrieved. Data were provided by investigators of the original trials and pooled using a fixed-effects model.

The effects of payment method on clinical decision-making: physician responses to clinical scenarios.

Background: The influence of payment mechanisms on physician decisions is not well understood.

Objectives: The objective of this study was to test 2 null hypotheses: 1) physicians' clinical decisions would not be influenced by payment incentives; and 2) physicians would have equal concern about medical decisions made under capitation or fee-for-service (FFS) arrangements.

Research Design: We conducted a physician survey in which patient insurance status (capitated or FFS) was randomly incorporated into 4 clinical scenarios using a Latin square design.

Convulsive syncope associated with acupuncture.

Syncope is a rare but known reaction to acupuncture; however, convulsive syncope has never been previously documented as a reaction to acupuncture. This case report describes an episode of convulsive syncope, characterized by irregular clonic-tonic movements while the patient was unconscious. The episode occurred immediately after the insertion of acupuncture needles into the bilateral ST-36 acupuncture point.

Use of complementary/alternative therapies by women with advanced-stage breast cancer.

Background: This study sought to describe the pattern of complementary/alternative medicine (CAM) use among a group of patients with advanced breast cancer, to examine the main reasons for their CAM use, to identify patient's information sources and their communication pattern with their physicians.

Methods: Face-to-face structured interviews of patients with advanced-stage breast cancer at a comprehensive oncology center.

Results: Seventy three percent of patients used CAM; relaxation/meditative techniques and herbal medicine were the most common.