title: Prescription patterns of Chinese herbal products for patients with uterine fibroid in Taiwan: A nationwide population-based study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Uterine fibroid (myoma) is one of the most common diseases in women. Although there are several studies on the efficacy of Chinese herbs, there is a lack of large-scale survey on the use of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for the treatment of uterine fibroid. This study aimed to investigate the utilization of Chinese herbal products for patients with uterine fibroid, prescribed by licensed TCM doctors in Taiwan.
  
  
  METHODS
  A random sample comprised of one million individuals with newly diagnosed uterine fibroid between 2002 and 2010 from the Taiwanese National Health Insurance Research Database was analyzed. Demographic characteristics, TCM usage, the frequency as well as average daily dose of Chinese herbal formulas and the single herbs prescribed for patients with uterine fibroid, were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall, 35,786 newly diagnosed subjects with uterine fibroid were included. Majority of these patients (87.1%; n=31,161) had visited TCM clinics. Among them, 61.8% of their visits used Chinese herbal remedies. Patients less than 45 years of age tended to use TCM more frequently than elder patients. Gui-Zhi-Fu-Ling-Wan (Cinnamon Twig and Poria Pill) was the most frequently prescribed Chinese herbal formula, while San-Leng (Rhizoma Sparganii) was the most commonly prescribed single herb.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study identified the characteristics and prescription patterns of TCM for patients with uterine fibroid in Taiwan. Further basic mechanistic studies and clinical trials are needed to confirm the therapeutic effects and mechanisms.
authors.affiliation: Research Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine, Department of Medical Research, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan; Department of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan; Research Center for Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan; School of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Hung-Rong
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Yen
authors.affiliation: Department of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Ying-Yu
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Research Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine, Department of Medical Research, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Tzu-Ping
authors.initials: TP
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Department of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan; School of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan; School of Post-baccalaureate Chinese Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Tung-Ti
authors.initials: TT
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.affiliation: Department of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan; School of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan; School of Post-baccalaureate Chinese Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Jung-Ying
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Tsao
authors.affiliation: Department of Chinese Medicine, Buddhist Dalin Tzu Chi General Hospital, Chiayi, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Bor-Chyuan
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan; Research Center for Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan; School of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan. Electronic address: maofeng@mail.cmuh.org.tw.
authors.forename: Mao-Feng
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Sun
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007889:Leiomyoma / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008516:Medicine, Chinese Traditional; D008875:Middle Aged; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D013624:Taiwan; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal
keywords: Complementary and alternative medicine; Gui-Zhi-Fu-Ling-Wan; National health insurance research database; Rhizoma Sparganii; Traditional Chinese medicine; Uterine fibroid