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Complementary and alternative medicine in asthma: do they work?

Claudia Steurer-Stey1, Erich W Russi, Johann Steurer

  • 1Department of Internal Medicine, Medical Policlinic, University Hospital Zürich, Switzerland. claudia.stey@dim.usz.ch

Swiss Medical Weekly
|November 8, 2002
PubMed
Summary

Scientific evidence for complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in asthma treatment is currently lacking. More high-quality research is needed to determine the effectiveness of these therapies compared to placebo.

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Area of Science:

  • Integrative medicine
  • Respiratory medicine
  • Evidence-based practice

Background:

  • Growing patient interest in complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) for asthma management.
  • Need for scientific validation of CAM therapies in asthma.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the scientific evidence for popular CAM therapies in asthma treatment.
  • To assess the efficacy of acupuncture, homeopathy, breathing techniques, and herbal/nutritional therapies.

Main Methods:

  • Systematic review of controlled trials and systematic reviews.
  • Searched electronic databases: Medline, Embase, and Cochrane Library.

Main Results:

  • Acupuncture efficacy for asthma lacks support from well-conducted trials.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Homeopathy's role in asthma requires further investigation.
  • Breathing techniques may aid asthma symptom control, but evidence is limited.
  • Herbal remedies and nutritional supplements (Vitamin C, fatty acids) show scant evidence for clinically significant effects.

    • Conclusions:

    • Current evidence does not support CAM therapies being more effective than placebo for asthma.
    • Lack of evidence highlights the need for rigorous investigation, not necessarily ineffectiveness.
    • Advocates for high-quality research in CAM for asthma, similar to conventional therapies.