Original ResearchComplementary and Alternative Medications Consumed by Renal Patients in Southern Germany
Section snippets
Methods
This was a cross-sectional, descriptive study of renal patients, using a questionnaire on CAM consumption including vitamin and mineral supplements, fruit juices, herbs, herbal teas, and other commonly used nutritional supplements. Informed consent was obtained from patients after they had received a letter inviting them to participate and informing them about the intention of the study. Consecutive dialysis patients and transplant recipients of 5 outpatient renal departments with associated
Demography of Patients
Of 180 questionnaires handed out to patients, 164 completed questionnaires (91%) were returned and could be analyzed. Questionnaires from 45 (30 male/15 female) current transplant patients and 119 (60 male/59 female) dialysis patients were analyzed. The overall mean age of patients was 60 ± 10 years (range, 19 to 88 years), and 24% were diabetic, with a higher proportion of diabetic patients on dialysis than with transplants (28% vs. 13%, respectively). Gender was unevenly distributed in some
Discussion
This cross-sectional study documents the consumption of CAMs among dialysis patients and transplant recipients of 5 renal centers in southern Germany. Consecutive dialysis and transplant patients, under the care of nephrologists, were eligible to participate if they could answer a questionnaire without assistance. This investigation had been motivated by repeatedly observed complications linked to CAMs in renal patients,10, 11, 12, 13, 14 and by the fact that patients seek alternative advice on
Conclusion
The documented consumption of CAMs and health foods in renal patients is relevant in the planning and supervision of medical treatments. A considerable number of products are unsuitable for renal patients because their constituents either accumulate or cause interactions with pharmaceutical medications. Besides CAMs, herbal teas and fruit juices are widely consumed by patients, and should be considered potential sources of interactions. It is worrisome that physicians are evidently not
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