Dietary supplementation by Japanese patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the prevalence and type of dietary supplements taken by Japanese patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and factors affecting their use.


METHODS
Cross-sectional study by face-to-face interviews.


METHODS
Six hospitals in central Japan.


METHODS
Of the 300 referred COPD patients aged between 50 and 75 years, 278 eligible participants (244 men and 34 women) with complete data were available for analysis.


METHODS
Prevalence of supplement use, dietary supplement categories (multivitamin, beta-carotene, vitamin C, vitamin E, and miscellaneous).


RESULTS
Overall, 42% of participants were dietary supplement users taking at least one category of supplements weekly; the prevalence being higher for female (47%) than male patients (41%). The most common supplements consumed were energy drink for men (11.1%), and multivitamin (11.8%) and vinegar (11.8%) for women. Dietary supplementation was found to be affected by age (p=0.04), COPD severity (p=0.03) and presence of co-morbidity (p=0.03). Older patients over 60 years were more likely to take dietary supplements (odds ratio (OR) 2.44, 95% CI 1.03-5.80), whereas severe COPD patients (OR 0.41, 95% CI 0.18-0.95) and those with a co-morbidity (OR 0.54, 95% CI 0.32-0.94) tended not to use.


CONCLUSIONS
Dietary supplements are popular for patients with COPD especially among older patients. The findings are important to clinical trials and experimental interventions advocating nutritional supplementation therapy for pulmonary rehabilitation.
Hirayama
Fumi
F
School of Public Health, Curtin University of Technology, GPO Box U 1987, Perth, WA 6845, Australia.
Lee
Andy H
AH
Binns
Colin W
CW
Taniguchi
Hiroyuki
H
D019342:Acetic Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000368:Aged; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D019587:Dietary Supplements / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000145:classification / Q000188:drug therapy*; D014815:Vitamins / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019207:beta Carotene / Q000627:therapeutic use
D000975:Antioxidants; D014815:Vitamins; D019207:beta Carotene; D001205:Ascorbic Acid; D019342:Acetic Acid