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CAM most often used for chronic conditions

Complementary and alternative medicine is most often used for the treatment of chronic skin conditions rather than acute skin conditions, and herbal therapies are the most common form of treatment used, according to study results published in a research letter.

Researchers conducted a survey of patients from an outpatient dermatology clinic and a family practice clinic between November 2010 and March 2011 to determine the differences in use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) for treatment of skin diseases. They then performed univariate and multivariate analyses with the primary outcome of CAM use among the participants.

Out of a total of 217 respondents, 13.4% used CAM for skin-related conditions and 39.2% reported CAM use for non–skin-related conditions.

Following univariate analysis, no significant differences in CAM use for the treatment of skin-related conditions were found between the dermatology and primary care clinics, according to the researchers.

Raja K. Sivamani

Non-white patients were more likely to use CAM compared with white patients, according to the researchers. Additionally, patients with a college degree were less likely to use CAM for a skin-related issue.

The researchers found herbal remedies were the most commonly used form of CAM for the treatment of both skin-related and non–skin-related conditions. Among patients with skin-related conditions, 82.6% responded that they had noticed improvement, 17.2% responded that they had seen no change and no patients reported worsening of their condition.

Among patients with non–skin-related conditions, 90.7% reported improvement, 7% reported no change and 2.3% reported worsening of their condition.

Disclosure: Armstrong reports serving as investigator, advisor and/or consultant to AbbVie, Amgen, Janssen, Eli Lilly, Merck and Pfizer.