Complementary and Alternative Medicine Use Among Allergy Practices: Results of a Nationwide Survey of Allergists

doi:10.1016/j.jaip.2017.01.017

The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: In Practice

Volume 6, Issue 1, January–February 2018, Pages 95-98.e3

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaip.2017.01.017 Get rights and content

The use of complementary and alternative practices in the field of Allergy/Immunology is growing. A recent survey of American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology members examining patterns of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use and adverse effects from CAM revealed that a majority of practitioners (81% of respondents) had patients who are using CAM therapies over conventional treatments and many practitioners (60% of survey respondents) have encountered patients experiencing adverse reactions. During routine office visits, a majority of practitioners do not ask patients about CAM use, and when they do, most do not have a standard intake form to take a CAM history. There is a strong need to increase knowledge and improve measures to prevent adverse reactions to CAMs.

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Acknowledgements

The Complementary and Alternative Practices in Allergy committee would like to thank Ken Buesing and Shauna Barnes at the AAAAI for their assistance in preparing the survey data.

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Safety Considerations for Natural Products Commonly Used By Patients with Allergic Disease
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Citation Excerpt :
However, this represents only 1.8% of all emergency department visits for adverse drug events; so, relative to prescription medications, this number is quite low.8 A 2013 survey by the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology (AAAAI) revealed that almost 60% of allergists have seen adverse reactions to CAM.4 It is important for clinicians to understand both the safety and the risks of natural compounds as well as governmental oversight of these products.
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Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been successfully used to treat asthmatic conditions for centuries. Nevertheless, the current hotspots and research frontiers on TCM for asthma have not been systematically investigated on the basis of bibliometric analysis. In this study, a scientometric analysis (1991-2021) was carried out on 3081 journal articles obtained from the Web of Science Core Collection database to explore the basic characteristics, research hotspots, and frontiers of TCM in asthma research. The results revealed the following: (1) Research on TCM in asthma has received widespread attention since the beginning of the 21st century; perhaps 2009 was an important turning point. TCM in asthma research shows a trend of interdisciplinary development. (2) Well-known universities/institutions in China, the United States, and South Korea have conducted the main body of current TCM research in asthma. JingCheng Dong (Fudan University, China) and XiuMin Li (Mount Sinai School of Medicine, USA) are the top 2 leading authors in this field. However, there is still a lack of international cooperation in the field of TCM in asthma research, and the influence of researchers in China and South Korea still needs improvement. (3) The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology ranks first in the research field on the influence of TCM in asthma. (4) Hotspots and frontiers of TCM in asthma are provided according to the timeline analyses of the research. In the former, complementary medicine, alternative treatment, allergic rhinitis, airway remodeling, Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension diet, and eosinophilic esophagitis are in the exploratory stage. In the latter, pharmacology, essential oil, gut microbiota, and oxidative stress were investigated from 2006 until late 2021 as period B, which contradicts period A (1991-2005). Moreover, limitations of this bibliometric analysis and the study of TCM research in asthma still exist, which are sufficiently important to warrant further investigations. Finally, we propose the significant importance of the real quintessence and characteristics of TCM in clinical and future research.
Allergen Immunotherapy Extract Shortages and Their Effects on Clinical Care: A Work Group Report of the AAAAI Immunotherapy, Allergen Standardization, and Allergy Diagnostics Committee
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Citation Excerpt :
Additional effects of disruptions on maintaining AIT regimens and overall efficacy remain to be explored. Our survey response rate was 12%, which was within the expected range of 10% to 15% (based on prior similar surveys distributed among AAAAI membership31,32). Most of the responders were practicing in the United States; therefore, results are mostly reflective of the United States supply chain.
Allergen immunotherapy (AIT) is the only disease-modifying therapy indicated for treatment of allergic asthma, rhinitis, conjunctivitis, and Hymenoptera hypersensitivity. Manufacturing of the extracts used in AIT involve multistep complex processes as well as regulatory oversight. Furthermore, some source materials are vulnerable to unexpected events of nature. Given these circumstances, allergen extract supply can be disrupted with a potential to adversely impact patient care. A group of members from the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology (AAAAI) Immunotherapy, Allergy Standardization and Allergy Diagnostic Committee formed a workgroup to assess the frequency and effects of allergen extract shortages and associated factors. This workgroup developed a survey that was distributed to a random 20% of the AAAAI membership. In addition, the group also performed a review of the scientific literature on allergen extract supply and shortage. Based on the findings of the survey study and literature review, the workgroup reports frequency and extent of shortages, potential ways to improve communication with suppliers, and need for further guidance in patient care during times of shortage.
Traditional Chinese medicine for food allergy and eczema
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Citation Excerpt :
CAM for FA rose from 2002 (11%) to 2006 (18%).7 In 2016, the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology reported that FA has been one of the most common indications for CAM use (53.6%).8 Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is a major CAM modality in the United States.
To summarize the recent evidence of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for food allergy and eczema.
Published literature from PubMed database and abstract conference presentations.
Studies relevant to TCM for food allergy and eczema were included.
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TCM has potential as safe and effective therapy for food allergy and eczema. Further research is needed for botanical drug development and to further define the mechanisms of actions.
FAHF-2: https://ichgcp.net/clinical-trials-registry/NCT00602160; ethyl acetate and butanol purified FAHF-2: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02879006.
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Fibromyalgia is a chronic condition which may negatively impact various aspects of patients' lives. Many people with fibromyalgia look to complementary and alternative medicine treatments for symptom relief.
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Cross-sectional survey.
Web-based.
Adults over the age of 18 years who had been diagnosed with fibromyalgia.
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Approximately 66% of the respondents used complementary and alternative treatments. Vitamins, massage therapy, and meditation were the most commonly used complementary and alternative therapies. Results indicated respondents using a combination of complementary and alternative medicine and pharmacologic treatments (prescription or over-the-counter) had significantly higher quality of life versus those using pharmacologic treatments alone, p = .011. Similarly, respondents using only complementary and alternative medicine treatment reported significantly lower pain levels versus those using pharmacologic treatment alone, p = .046.
The study suggests that a large proportion of fibromyalgia patients use complementary and alternative medicine, and these treatments may offer beneficial effects to these patients. Integration of complementary and alternative medicine into conventional treatment regimens may provide opportunities for a holistic treatment approach and greater symptom relief for fibromyalgia patients. This approach is timely, as controlled substances are increasingly difficult for patients with fibromyalgia to access.

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: Approved by the AAAAI Board of Directors, September 20, 2016.

: No funding was received for this work.

: Conflicts of interest: M. H. Land declares no relevant conflicts of interest. J. Wang has received consultancy fees from Aimmune; and receives royalties from UpToDate.

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Review and Feature ArticleComplementary and Alternative Medicine Use Among Allergy Practices: Results of a Nationwide Survey of Allergists

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Acknowledgements

J Allergy Clin Immunol

J Allergy Clin Immunol

Review and Feature Article
Complementary and Alternative Medicine Use Among Allergy Practices: Results of a Nationwide Survey of Allergists