Use of complementary and alternative medicine in patients with chronic hepatitis C

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Complementary and alternative medicines (CAM) have achieved a great development in western countries. However, their use among patients simultaneously treated by the mainstream medicine is largely unknown. Our goal was to assess how many patients with chronic hepatitis C treated in a tertiary hospital use or have used CAM. PATIENTS AND METHOD: Analysis of the answers of 319 patients to a self-administered questionnaire. RESULTS: 113 (37%) patients had used or were using CAM, 63 (20%) because of chronic hepatitis and 50 (17%) for other reasons. Women, those with higher education, divorced and widows were those who more frequently used CAM. More than half of patients felt some subjective improvement, yet none of them normalized their serum transaminase activities. CONCLUSIONS: CAM are used by a high proportion of patients who are simultaneously attended by 'official' physicians. The perceived efficacy of these practices is high but no changes in the hepatic disease could be seen in any of the patients who answered the questionnaire.