title: Use of complementary and alternative medicine in patients with inflammatory bowel disease: results of a cross-sectional study in Norway.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the proportion of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and to identify demographic and clinical factors that are associated with CAM use.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this cross-sectional study design, patients with confirmed diagnosis of ulcerative colitis (UC) or Crohn's disease (CD), and ≥18 years old, attending outpatient clinics at 14 hospitals in Norway were eligible to complete questionnaires including demographics, clinical variables, and the International CAM Questionnaire (I-CAM-Q).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 460 patients included in the study, 430 had evaluable questionnaires (response rate 93%). Forty-nine percent (95% CI: 44-54) had used some type of CAM within the past 12 months. CAM services were utilized by 27% (95% CI: 23-31) of the patients, 21% (95% CI: 16-23) reported use of CAM products, and 28% (95% CI: 23-31) used CAM self-help practices. The most common pattern of CAM use was to combine CAM services and CAM products. Significantly, more UC patients (56%) than CD patients (44%) reported CAM use, p = 0.03. In UC, only the presence of at least one comorbid condition was directly related to CAM use. In CD, being a woman, being aged 31-50 years, having a higher education level, and experiencing adverse drug reactions from IBD medication were factors independently associated with the use of CAM.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Use of CAM was common among IBD patients attending outpatient clinics. Both demographic and clinical factors were associated to CAM use, but the factors differed in their significance for UC and CD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Division of Medicine, Oslo University Hospital, P.O. Box 4956 Nydalen, 0424 Oslo, Norway. randi.opheim@medisin.uio.no
authors.forename: Randi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Opheim
authors.forename: Tomm
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bernklev
authors.forename: May Solveig
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Fagermoen
authors.forename: Milada
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cvancarova
authors.forename: Bjorn
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Moum
mesh_terms: D015670:Acupuncture Therapy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000628:therapy*; D015897:Comorbidity; D000529:Complementary Therapies / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000628:therapy*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D005395:Fish Oils / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006705:Homeopathy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009664:Norway; D028321:Plant Preparations / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012737:Sex Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014815:Vitamins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D005395:Fish Oils; D028321:Plant Preparations; D014815:Vitamins