title: Usage of complementary and alternative medicine among patients with chronic kidney disease on maintenance hemodialysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the prevalence and the type of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use among chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients on maintenance hemodialysis (MHD).
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was conducted in 200 CKD patients who were on MHD. The patients were subjected to a validated interviewer-administered questionnaire adopted from the National Health Interview Survey Adult CAM. The knowledge on CAM and its usage by the patients were assessed based on the responses given by the patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 200 patients, 52 (26%) patients were identified to be using CAM therapy. The most commonly used CAM modality by these patients was Ayurveda both alone (30.4%) and in combination with other CAM modalities (23.2%), followed by acupuncture in 17.3% patients. CAM usage was high in the age range of 50-64 years (67%). Of the CAM users, 21% of patients were from a rural area; 16.5% of patients were from upper middle class, and 24% were on dialysis for 1-4 years. There was a statistically significant association between CAM usage and age, gender, place of living, socioeconomic status, and duration of dialysis (P < 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present survey provides the data on the usage of CAM among dialysis patients and adds to the increasing evidence about CAM use. Because many products are at risk to either accumulate or cause interactions with medication, a better education on the risks and benefits of the CAM therapy by the health care providers to the end stage renal disease patients is needed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy Practice, Faculty of Pharmacy, Sri Ramachandra University, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors.forename: Aravapalli S M
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Arjuna Rao
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy Practice, Faculty of Pharmacy, Sri Ramachandra University, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Phaneendra
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy Practice, Faculty of Pharmacy, Sri Ramachandra University, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors.forename: Ch Divya
authors.initials: ChD
authors.lastname: Pavani
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, Sri Ramachandra Medical College, Sri Ramachandra University, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Soundararajan
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy Practice, Faculty of Pharmacy, Sri Ramachandra University, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors.forename: N Vanitha
authors.initials: NV
authors.lastname: Rani
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy Practice, Faculty of Pharmacy, Sri Ramachandra University, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Thennarasu
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy Practice, Saastra College of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Nellore, India.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kannan
keywords: Alternative medicine; complementary medicine; hemodialysis