Goals: To examine a wide range of sociodemographic and clinical characteristics as potential predictors of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use among chronic liver disease (CLD) patients, with a focus on CAM therapies with the greatest potential for hepatotoxicity and interactions with conventional treatments.

Background: There is some evidence that patients with CLD commonly use CAM to address general and CLD-specific health concerns.

Study: Patients enrolled in a population-based surveillance study of persons newly diagnosed with CLD between 1999 and 2001 were asked about current use of CAM specifically for CLD. Sociodemographic and clinical information was obtained from interviews and medical records. Predictors of CAM use were examined using univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis.

Results: Of the 1040 participants, 284 (27.3%) reported current use of at least 1 of 3 CAM therapies of interest. Vitamins or other dietary supplements were the most commonly used therapy, reported by 188 (18.1%) patients. This was followed by herbal medicine (175 patients, 16.8%) and homeopathy (16 patients, 1.5%). Several characteristics were found to be independent correlates of CAM use: higher education and family income, certain CLD etiologies (alcohol, hepatitis C, hepatitis C and alcohol, and hepatitis B), and prior hospitalization for CLD.

Conclusions: Use of CAM therapies that have the potential to interact with conventional treatments for CLD was quite common among this population-based sample of patients with CLD. There is a need for patient and practitioner education and communication regarding CAM use in the context of CLD.

Download full-text PDF

Source
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3730290PMC
http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/MCG.0b013e3181b766edDOI Listing

Publication Analysis

Top Keywords

cam therapies
12
cam
9
complementary alternative
8
alternative medicine
8
chronic liver
8
liver disease
8
patients
8
sociodemographic clinical
8
cld
8
patients cld
8

Similar Publications

Importance: This study addresses the characteristics, kidney replacement therapy (KRT) modalities, and outcomes in children diagnosed with crush syndrome following an earthquake in Turkey.

Objective: To analyze the associations of different KRT modalities with long-term dialysis dependency and length of stay (LOS) in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU).

Design, Setting, And Participants: This multicenter, prospective, and retrospective cohort study was conducted across 20 PICUs in Turkey.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Targeting tumor angiogenesis with safe endogenous protein inhibitors is a promising therapeutic approach despite the plethora of the first line of emerging chemotherapeutic drugs. The extracellular matrix network in the blood vessel basement membrane and growth factors released from endothelial and tumor cells promote the neovascularization which supports the tumor growth. Contrastingly, small cleaved cryptic fragments of the C-terminal non collagenous domains of the same basement membrane display antiangiogenic effect.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Doxorubicin (DOX) is a potent chemotherapeutic agent for breast cancer, but its effectiveness is often diminished by resistance mechanisms, particularly through p-glycoprotein (P-gp) mediated drug efflux. Clarithromycin (CAM), a macrolide antibiotic, inhibits multiple metabolic pathways including CYP3A and P-gp, potentially countering DOX resistance.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the potentiation of DOX and its effectiveness against the MCF-7 breast cancer cell line by encapsulating both DOX and CAM in PEGylated liposomes.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Introduction: The present study aimed to explore the epidemiologic threats and factors associated with the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-associated mucormycosis (CAM) epidemic that emerged in Egypt during the second COVID-19 wave. The study also aimed to explore the diagnostic features and the role of surgical interventions of CAM on the outcome of the disease in a central referral hospital.

Methodology: The study included 64 CAM patients from a referral hospital for CAM and a similar number of matched controls from COVID-19 patients who did not develop CAM.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Asymptomatic female softball pitchers have altered hip morphology and cartilage composition.

Sci Rep

January 2025

La Trobe Sport & Exercise Medicine Research Centre, School of Allied Health, Human Services and Sport, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.

Few studies have explored hip morphology and cartilage composition in female athletes or the impact of asymmetric repetitive loading, such as occurs during softball pitching. The current cross-sectional study assessed bilateral bony hip morphology on computed tomography imaging in collegiate-level softball pitchers ('Pitch1', n = 25) and cross-country runners ('Run', n = 13). Magnetic resonance imaging was used to assess cartilage relaxation times in a second cohort of pitchers ('Pitch2', n = 10) and non-athletic controls ('Con', n = 4).

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?

Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!