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. 2019 Feb 13;55(2):46.
doi: 10.3390/medicina55020046.

Use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine by Patients with Irritable Bowel Syndrome According to the Roma IV Criteria: A Single-Center Italian Survey

Tiziana Larussa  1 , Marianna Rossi  2 , Evelina Suraci  3 , Raffaella Marasco  4 , Maria Imeneo  5 , Ludovico Abenavoli  6 , Francesco Luzza  7
Affiliations

Use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine by Patients with Irritable Bowel Syndrome According to the Roma IV Criteria: A Single-Center Italian Survey

Tiziana Larussa et al. Medicina (Kaunas). .

Abstract

Aim: This study was conducted to evaluate the impact of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) as assessed by the Rome IV criteria. Methods: Consecutive patients referring for IBS were re-evaluated according to the Rome IV criteria. Demographic features and characteristics potentially associated with the use of CAM were collected. A validated, self-administered, survey questionnaire dealing with CAM and patients' level of knowledge, motivation, perception, and information seeking-behavior toward the use of CAM was analyzed. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed in order to identify predictors of CAM use among participants. Results: Among 156 patients claiming IBS, 137 (88%) met the Rome IV criteria, and 62 of them (45%) were CAM users. Biologically based therapy was the most chosen CAM (78%). Significant risk factors (adjusted odds ratio, 95% confidence interval) for the use of CAM were female gender (7.22, 2.31⁻22.51), a higher BMI (1.16, 1.02⁻1.33), and a good knowledge of CAM (4.46, 1.73⁻11.45), while having children was a protective factor (0.25, 0.07⁻0.95). Only 19% of patients used CAM due to medical advice and over half (51%) thought it was a "more natural" approach. Although a minority of patients (16%) had full satisfaction from CAM, 81% of users would repeat the CAM experience for their IBS symptoms. Conclusions: The widespread use of CAM in IBS, the patients' belief in its safety, and their willingness to re-use it suggest that knowledge of health-care providers and patient education should be improved.

Keywords: Rome IV criteria; complementary and alternative medicine; health behaviors; irritable bowel syndrome; nutritional supplements; patient-centered care; public health.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Sources of information among CAM users.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Reasons for choosing CAM therapies.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Preferred CAM therapies by participants in the survey.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Satisfaction perceived from patients using CAM for IBS (A) and their intention to repeat CAM therapy experience for treating IBS (B).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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