RESUMO
@#Many of our chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients venture into complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) to seek a cure for the disease beyond conventional management. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence and pattern of CAM usage; and its association with the progression of CKD in our population. This was a cross-sectional survey recruited CKD patients from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre (UKMMC). Data was collected via interview using questionnaires which explore the demographics, type and pattern of CAM use. Patients’ comorbidities and serum creatinine were extracted from the medical notes to assess the association between progression of CKD and usage of CAM. Chi-square, Independent Samples t-test, Mann-Whitney U test and logistic regression were used to evaluate for an association. Three hundred and seventy two eligible patients were recruited. The prevalence of CAM use was 29% in the past year. Younger age, higher education and higher income level were associated with significantly more usage of CAM. Natural products were the commonest type of CAM used (86.1%). The belief in the effectiveness of CAM was the main reason for its uptake and about 57.8% revealed their practice to their physician. We found that the use of CAM in Malaysian CKD patients did not influence the progression of the disease.
RESUMO
La fibromialgia es una entidad clínica que se presenta con frecuencia en la población y cuyo tratamiento, a pesar de los avances de la medicina moderna, no ha controlado la enfermedad; por este motivo se hace necesaria la búsqueda de nuevas herramientas terapéuticas. La acupuntura es una medicina alternativa que viene siendo aplicada con utilidad en el manejo integral de los pacientes con fibromialgia. Esta práctica ha mostrado ejercer acciones en el nivel molecular y del funcionamiento del sistema nervioso central que permiten pensar en la plausibilidad y utilidad del tratamiento como complemento al tratamiento convencional. Desde el modelo de la medicina basada en la evidencia ya han comenzado a realizarse estudios; aun los resultados son contradictorios, y es por ello que se deben desarrollar más ensayos clínicos de buena calidad metodológica y con métodos apropiados, que permitan en su desarrollo la adecuada aplicación de la acupuntura desde el entendimiento clínico de la medicina tradicional china.
Fibromyalgia is a clinical condition that occurs frequently in the population and whose treatment despite the advances of modern medicine has not controlled the disease, which is why it is necessary to search for new therapeutic tools. Acupuncture is an alternative medicine that has been applied usefully in the comprehensive management of patients with fibromyalgia. This practice has been shown to exert actions at the molecular level and the central nervous system function which suggest the plausibility and utility of treatment as an adjunct treatment to conventional therapy. From evidence-based medicine model have begun to perform studies, although the results are contradictory, and therefore to be developed further clinical trials of good methodological quality and appropriate methods that allow in its development proper application of acupuncture from the clinical understanding of traditional chinese medicine.