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Hwang, Park, Choi, Choi, Yoo, Kang, and Park: The Current Status of Complementary-Alternative Medicine for Asthmatics in Korea : Experience in One Tertiary Care Hospital
Original Article
Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases

Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases 2006; 61(4): 339-346.

Published online: 31 October 2006

DOI: https://doi.org/10.4046/trd.2006.61.4.339

The Current Status of Complementary-Alternative Medicine for Asthmatics in Korea : Experience in One Tertiary Care Hospital

Bo Young Hwang, M.D.1, Mi Na Park, M.D.1, Hye Sook Choi, M.D.1, Cheon Woong Choi, M.D.2, Ji Hong Yoo, M.D.2, Hong Mo Kang, M.D.1, Myung Jae Park, M.D.1

1Division of Pulmonology, Kyung Hee University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.

2Division of Pulmonology, East-West Neomedical Center, Seoul, Korea.

Address for correspondence: Myung Jae Park, M.D. Division of Pulmonology, Kyung Hee University College of Medicine, 1 Hoegi-dong, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul, 130-702, Korea. Phone: 02-958-8197, Fax: 02-968-1848, mjpwis@chol.com

Received 23 August 2006       Accepted 19 September 2006

Copyright © 2006 The Korean Academy of Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases

Abstract

Background

There has no known epidemiologic survey on the frequency of complementary-alternative medicine (CAM) use in the treatment of adult asthma in Korea. This study examined the current use of CAM by asthma patients in Korea.

Methods

One hundred adults with asthma, who had been admitted to Kyunghee university hospital between January 2000 and December 2003, were enrolled in this survey. They received a structured questionnaire interview and a clinical assessment of prevalence and pattern of CAM use.

Results

53% patients had an experience of at least one type of CAM during their asthma management. Users of CAM had more hospital visits than those who had never used CAM(1.46±0.68 vs. 2.11±1.20, p=0.001). Those in their 50th decades had more experience of CAM (80%) than the other age groups. The methods of CAM used by our patients are as follows: Diet/nutritional therapy in 35 patients(69%), herbal therapy in 28 patients(53%), acupuncture in 9 patients(17%), moxa treatment in 6 patients(11%), breathing exercises in 1 patient(2%).

Conclusion

More than 50% of patients with bronchial asthma have used CAM. A more detailed and large scaled study will be needed to define the actual status of the use of CAM in the treatment for asthma. Inaddition, further research on the scientific validation of the clinical efficacy of CAM in asthma management should be followed.

Keywords: Asthma, Complementary-alternative medicine, Epidemiology

Figures and Tables

Figure 1
Frequency of complement and alternative medicine according to age
trd-61-339-g001
Figure 2
Method of CAM and the number of the patients.
*localized heat and physical therapy
trd-61-339-g002
Table 1
Baseline characteristics of nonusers and users of complementary-alternative medicine(CAM) for asthma
trd-61-339-i001

Data are Mean±Standard Deviation by student t-test

*P=0.001 using unpaired t-test

†P=0.002 using logistic regression model, adjusted by age, sex, No. of admission, duration, and regular visits.(OR=2.336, 95% Confidence Interval 1.358-4.016)

Table 2
Relations between the number of admission and experience of CAM use
trd-61-339-i002

p=0.016 using Chi square test

Table 3
Comparison between the users of one method and more than 2 methods of CAM
trd-61-339-i003

Data are Mean±Standard Deviation by student t-test

*p ≤ 0.005 using unpaired t-test by Mahn-Whitney methods

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