Herbal therapy is associated with the risk of CKD in adults not using analgesics in Taiwan.
BACKGROUND
Taiwan has the greatest incidence rate of end-stage renal disease in the world. Several cases of Chinese herb nephropathy were reported in Taiwan. Therefore, we studied the association between herbal therapy and chronic kidney disease (CKD) in Taiwan.


METHODS
Cross-sectional survey.


METHODS
1,740 adults in the Nutrition and Health Survey in Taiwan (1993 to 1996).


METHODS
Herbal and analgesic therapy.


METHODS
CKD after adjustment for potential confounding variables.


RESULTS
Among medication users, prevalences of herbal therapy and analgesic use were 21.6% and 13.2%, respectively. The prevalence of CKD was 9.9%. Participants with CKD were older and had more analgesic use, diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease. Analgesic use was associated independently and positively with CKD (odds ratio, 2.2; 95% confidence interval, 1.4 to 3.5; P = 0.003) and CKD stage (odds ratio, 2.3; 95% confidence interval, 1.4 to 3.6; P = 0.003). Conversely, herbal therapy was associated independently and positively with CKD (odds ratio, 1.39; 95% confidence interval, 1.2 to 1.7; P = 0.002) and CKD stage (odds ratio, 1.38; 95% confidence interval, 1.1 to 1.7; P = 0.004) only in participants who did not use analgesics.


CONCLUSIONS
Because this was a cross-sectional study, cause and effect could not be ascertained.


CONCLUSIONS
Herbal therapy was associated with CKD in adults in Taiwan who did not use analgesics.
Guh
Jinn-Yuh
JY
Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
Chen
Hung-Chun
HC
Tsai
Jung-Fa
JF
Chuang
Lea-Yea
LY
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000700:Analgesics / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008517:Phytotherapy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012307:Risk Factors; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology
D000700:Analgesics