Evaluation of the efficacy of Chinese herbal medicine and acupuncture for the prevention of mental disorders in interstitial cystitis patients

Abstract

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is commonly used for urinary symptoms in Eastern countries. Since there are few effective treatments available for patients with interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS), the psychological burden leads to increased healthcare-seeking behavior. Some patients may therefore seek TCM treatment for related urinary symptoms. Due to limited clinical research evaluating the effects of TCM on IC/BPS, we conducted a nationwide population-based cohort study to investigate the relationship between TCM and mental disorders among these patients. The IC/BPS cohort and its matched non-IC/BPS comparison cohort were recruited from the National Health Insurance (NHI) Research Database between 2000 and 2011. Patients with the use of Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) granules or acupuncture over 90 days per year were enrolled as the TCM users. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards models were used to evaluate the hazard ratio (HR) of mental disorders related to interstitial cystitis. The incidence of mental disorders in the 2 cohorts was assessed with Kaplan–Meier curves. A total of 1123 patients with IC/BPS and 4492 matched non-IC/BPS subjects were included in this study. The IC/BPS cohort demonstrated higher incidence rate of mental disorders than the cohort without IC/BPS (adjusted HR: 2.21, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.73–2.81). There was no statistically significant difference in the risk of mental disorders between IC/BPS patients with and without CHM granules or acupuncture treatment (adjusted HR: 0.99, 95% CI: 0.58–1.68). Our results indicated that CHM and acupuncture showed insignificant efficacy in the prevention of mental disorders in IC/BPS patients.

Examination of Complementary Treatment Use of Individuals with Interstitial Cystitis: Descriptive Study

“…In this study, it was observed that the majority of patients used complementary therapy. Patients with interstitial cystitis often experience a reduced health-related quality of life associated with physical limitations, reduced vitality, increased sleep dysfunction, more pain and more problems with sexual/social functioning (21). Complementary and alternative medicine treatment options for interstitial cystitis are many and should be individualized for each patient (22).…”

“…This finding suggested that this may be due to the fact that herbal products are obtained naturally and they are easily accessible. Due to the paucity of data evaluating the efficacy of treatment approaches and inadequate understanding of the etiology of interstitial cystitis, no single approach is useful for all patients (21). Therefore, it is important to inform patients about the lack of robust evidence for complementary therapies (27).…”

In vitro effect of Withania somnifera, AYUSH-64, and remdesivir on the activity of CYP-450 enzymes: Implications for possible herb−drug interactions in the management of COVID-19

“…Particularly, in Western countries, CAM has become increasingly popular over the last few decades ( Rakel, 2018 ; Borse et al, 2019 ). The health-seeking behavior studies from various parts of the world suggest widespread use of TCAM for the management of non-communicable diseases ( Gordon et al, 2019 ; Hung et al, 2020 ; Toukabri et al, 2020 ). The pattern is almost similar in both developed and developing countries.…”

Evidence for Rosa damascena efficacy in mental disorders in preclinical animal studies and clinical trials: A systematic review

“…Patients with mental disorder frequently have a lower health‐related quality of life, which is linked to physical restrictions, decreased vitality, higher sleep dysfunction, increased pain, and increased sexual/social dysfunction issues. In recent years, mental health has received much interest, especially in developed countries (Hung, Chen, Chen, Chiu, & Chen, 2020). The management of mental problems is carried out in a gradual manner, with the use of therapeutic methods such as behavioral therapy and chemical oral medications.…”