Use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine by Patients Treated for Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, Primary Sjögren’s Syndrome, or Systemic Sclerosis in a French Rural Region

Abstract

Background: Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is composed of a wide range of interventions and frequently used in parallel with conventional medicine. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence, modalities, and association factors of CAM utilization in patients treated for systemic lupus erythematosus, primary Sjögren’s syndrome, or systemic sclerosis. Patients and Methods: This was a prospective single-center observational study conducted in a French university hospital center. Inclusion criteria were patients followed for systemic lupus erythematosus, primary Sjögren’s syndrome, or systemic sclerosis. Data were collected with a survey which assessed sociodemographic, disease characteristics, CAM use details, life quality, and anxiety score. Results: A total of 121 patients were included, mostly women (87%), with an average age of 56 years. Proportion of patients seeking CAM was 55%. A total of 186 CAM interventions were recorded: most common were osteopathy, homeopathy, and acupuncture. Patients were looking for well-being (22%), reducing their fatigue (18%) and pain (33%). Concerning physical and mental feeling after CAM use, a subjective improvement was reported in 89% of cases. In multivariate analysis, CAM use by patient was associated with these 3 variables: coming from a Western culture, being professionally active, and having a poor quality of life and anxiety scores. Conclusion and Outlook: This is the first study to focus on CAM use in patients followed for three AID in a French rural region. The current challenge is to enrich conventional medicine with CAM that is effective and safe through supervised programs to move toward an integrative medicine.