title: Prescription pattern of Chinese herbal products for adult-onset asthma in Taiwan: a population-based study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Throughout the world, asthma can be a life-threatening disease. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is commonly used among Taiwanese adults to control many diseases.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To analyze the use of Chinese herbal products (CHPs) among adults with asthma in Taiwan.
  
  
  METHODS
  The use, frequency of service, and the type of CHP prescribed for asthma among adults with asthma were evaluated. The study group consisted of a randomly sampled cohort of 1,000,000 beneficiaries from the National Health Insurance Research Database. Logistic regression was used to estimate the odds ratios (ORs) for use of CHP.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall, 20,627 asthma patients (85.7%) used TCM. Ding-chuan-tang (panting-stabilizing decoction) was the most frequently prescribed CHP, followed by xiao-qing-long-tang (minor green-blue dragon decoction) and ma-xing-gan-shi-tang (ephedra, apricot kernel, licorice, and gypsum decoction).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The use of CHPs among adults with asthma appears high. Ding-chuan-tang containing ma-huang is the most commonly prescribed and consumed among adults with asthma.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Traditional Medicine, School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Chinese Medicine, Taipei City Hospital, Yangming Branch, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Hung-Ming
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Institute of Traditional Medicine, School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Chinese Medicine, Taipei City Hospital, Renai Branch, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Shun-Ku
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Institute of Traditional Medicine, School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Chinese Medicine, Taipei City Hospital, Yangming Branch, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chia-Hao
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Yeh
authors.affiliation: Institute of Traditional Medicine, School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Chinese Medicine, Taipei City Hospital, Yangming Branch, Taipei, Taiwan. Electronic address: kareny@ms10.hinet.net.
authors.forename: Jung-Nien
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Lai
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011307:Drug Prescriptions / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004363:Drug Utilization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008516:Medicine, Chinese Traditional / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D013624:Taiwan; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; C493483:Mao-to; D010936:Plant Extracts; C477142:dingchuan tang; C530199:maxingshigan; C090832:sho-seiryu-to