The lure of unconventional therapy for rheumatic disease: how powerful is it?

Patients who suffer rheumatologic disease are known to try unconventional therapies in addition to, or instead of, medical therapy prescribed by their provider. Reasons for this include the chronic nature of their illness, the adverse effects of conventional medications, and widespread publicity about the purported efficacy of unconventional therapies. We undertook this study to assess the types of unconventional therapies used by patients in one rheumatology practice. A survey comprising nine questions and a cover letter was mailed to 300 patients in the practice, asking them to rank, in order of perceived effectiveness, unconventional therapies they had used and the treatments provided by the rheumatologist. We determined that the prevalence of unconventional therapy use was 44% (response rate, 45% [135 patients]). Patients' faith, attributes of the physician, and medications prescribed by the physician were ranked more highly effective in the healing process than all other unconventional therapies. We conclude that, although unconventional therapies were utilized by patients in this practice, they valued the physician's medical treatment plan and efforts most.