Prescription Pattern of Chinese Herbal Products for Diabetes Mellitus in Taiwan: A Population-Based Study

Abstract

Background. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), when given as a therapy for symptom relief, has gained widespread popularity among diabetic patients. The aim of this study is to analyze the utilization of TCM among type 2 diabetic patients in Taiwan. Methods. The use of TCM for type 2 diabetic patients were evaluated using a randomly sampled cohort of 1,000,000 beneficiaries recruited from the National Health Insurance Research Database. Results. Overall, 77.9% (n = 31,289) of type 2 diabetic patients utilized TCM and 13.9% (n = 4,351) of them used TCM for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. Among the top ten most frequently prescribed herbal formulae, four remedies, Zhi-Bo-Di-Huang-Wan, Qi-Ju-Di-Huang-Wan, Ji-Sheng-Shen-Qi-Wan and Ba-Wei-Di-Huang-Wan are derivative formulae of Liu-Wei-Di-Huang-Wan. In other words, Liu-Wei-Di-Huang-Wan and its derivatives were found to be the most common herbal formulae prescribed by TCM doctors for the treatment of diabetes in Taiwan. Conclusion. Although some evidence does support the use TCM to treat diabetes, the results from the current study may have been confounded by placebo effect, which emphasize the need for well conducted, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled studies in order to further evaluate the efficacy of Liu-Wei-Di-Huang-Wan on patients with type 2 diabetes.

Nailfold capillary abnormalities are associated with type 2 diabetes progression and correlated with peripheral neuropathy

“…[12] However, the previous study showed that more than half of the patients with DM suffered from one or more microvascular complications during >10 years of follow-up. [28] We tried to compare NVC characteristics of only 1 microvascular complication in patients with type 2 DM, but the sample size of patients with only 1 complication was too small to analyze. Future studies with a larger number of patients with a single microvascular complication would be valuable for evaluating NVC characteristics.…”

Demographic and medication characteristics of traditional Chinese medicine users among colorectal cancer survivors: A nationwide database study in Taiwan

“…To determine the key independent variables for the utilization of CHP among CRC survivors, we selected the demographic factors according to previous studies 21, 22, 23, 24. Patients were classified, based on age, into one of six groups, as follows: ≤39, 40–49, 50–59, 60–69, 70–79, and ≥80 years.…”

Analysis of the Medical Market Share of Traditional East Asian Medicine (TEAM) in Taiwan Using National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD)

“…Shih C-C et al 23) 2012 33) In 1997∼2010, 9.25% patients with newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia and received radiotherapy and chemotherapy used TEAM 34) Colon cancer In 2004∼2008, 19.81% of newly diagnosed colon cancer patients used TEAM 35) In 2007, 26.9% of newly diagnosed colorectal cancer patients used TEAM 36) Head and neck cancer In 2000∼2011, 37.51% of newly diagnosed head and neck cancer patients used TEAM 37) Pediatric cancer In 2001∼2011, 62.37% of newly diagnosed pediatric cancer patients used TEAM 38) Breast cancer In 1999∼2008, 81.55% of newly diagnosed breast cancer patients used TEAM 39) In 2007, 35.6% of breast cancer patients used TEAM 40) In 2009, 37.33% of breast cancer patients used TEAM 41) Uterine fibroid In 2000∼2003, 73.33% of newly diagnosed uterine fibroid patients used TEAM 42) In 1996∼2010, 25.84% of uterine fibroid patients used TEAM 43) In 2002∼2010, 87.08% of newly diagnosed uterine fibroid patients used TEAM 44) Prostate cancer In 1996∼2008, 38.8% of prostate cancer patients used TEAM 45) In 1998∼2003, 64.5% of newly diagnosed prostate cancer patients used TEAM 46) In 2003∼2008, 52.6% of prostate cancer patients used TEAM 47) In 2007, 22.4% of outpatients with prostate cancer received prescription of herbal medicine 48) Lung cancer In 1996∼2010, Of the lung cancer patients, 31.17% of the operation patients and 26.32% of the non-operation patients used TEAM 49) Endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases, and immunity disorders (3.59%) Hyperlipidemia In 2003∼2009, 82.95% of hyperlipidemia patients used TEAM 50) Diabetes mellitus In 2000∼2011, 20.55% of type I diabetes mellitus patients used TEAM 51) In 1998∼2008, 77.91% of newly diagnosed type II diabetes mellitus adult patients used TEAM 52) Mental disorders (3.10%)…”