Complementary and Alternative Medicines and Childhood Eczema: A US Population-Based Study

The prevalence of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use in US children with eczema is unknown. Furthermore, it is unknown whether CAM use in the United States is associated with higher eczema prevalence. We sought to determine the eczema prevalence in association with CAM usage. We analyzed data from the 2007 National Health Interview Survey that included a nationally representative sample of 9417 children ages 0 to 17 years. Overall, 46.9% (95% confidence interval, 45.6%–48.2%) of children in the United States used 1 or more CAM, of which 0.99% (0.28%–1.71%) used CAM specifically to treat their eczema, including herbal therapy (0.46%), vitamins (0.33%), Ayurveda (0.28%), naturopathy (0.24%), homeopathy (0.20%), and traditional healing (0.12%). Several CAMs used for other purposes were associated with increased eczema prevalence, including herbal therapy (survey logistic regression; adjusted odds ratio [95% confidence interval], 2.07 [1.40–3.06]), vitamins (1.45 [1.21–1.74]), homeopathic therapy (2.94 [1.43–6.00]), movement techniques (3.66 [1.62–8.30]), and diet (2.24 [1.10–4.58]), particularly vegan diet (2.53 [1.17–5.51]). In conclusion, multiple CAMs are commonly used for the treatment of eczema in US children. However, some CAMs may actually be harmful to the skin and be associated with higher eczema prevalence in the United States.

[1]  Sue K. Adams,et al.  Complementary and alternative medicine use and adherence to asthma medications among Latino and non-Latino white families. , 2014, Academic pediatrics.

[2]  M. Urashima,et al.  Increased food allergy and vitamin D: Randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled trial , 2014, Pediatrics international : official journal of the Japan Pediatric Society.

[3]  J. Silverberg,et al.  Adult eczema prevalence and associations with asthma and other health and demographic factors: a US population-based study. , 2013, The Journal of allergy and clinical immunology.

[4]  Charlie Changli Xue,et al.  Chinese herbal medicine for atopic dermatitis: a systematic review. , 2013, Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.

[5]  J. Silverberg,et al.  Prevalence of allergic disease in foreign-born American children. , 2013, JAMA pediatrics.

[6]  S. Willich,et al.  Comparative Effectiveness of Homoeopathic vs. Conventional Therapy in Usual Care of Atopic Eczema in Children: Long-Term Medical and Economic Outcomes , 2013, PloS one.

[7]  K. Cooper,et al.  Prevalence of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use by the general population: a systematic review and update , 2012, International journal of clinical practice.

[8]  E. Ernst.  Homeopathy for eczema: a systematic review of controlled clinical trials , 2012, The British journal of dermatology.

[9]  R. Kundu,et al.  Dermatoses secondary to Asian cultural practices , 2012, International journal of dermatology.

[10]  Acharya Rabinarayan,et al.  Urushiol-induced contact dermatitis caused during Shodhana (purificatory measures) of Bhallataka (Semecarpus anacardium Linn.) fruit , 2012, Ayu.

[11]  H. Williams,et al.  Dietary supplements for established atopic eczema. , 2012, The Cochrane database of systematic reviews.

[12]  G. Koppelman,et al.  Maternal use of folic acid supplements during pregnancy, and childhood respiratory health and atopy , 2011, European Respiratory Journal.

[13]  L. Smits,et al.  Folic Acid Use in Pregnancy and the Development of Atopy, Asthma, and Lung Function in Childhood , 2011, Pediatrics.

[14]  Silvia Waisse,et al.  Blisters and homeopathy: case reports and differential diagnosis , 2011, Homeopathy.

[15]  S. Sasaki,et al.  Maternal B vitamin intake during pregnancy and wheeze and eczema in Japanese infants aged 16–24 months: The Osaka Maternal and Child Health Study , 2011, Pediatric allergy and immunology : official publication of the European Society of Pediatric Allergy and Immunology.

[16]  G. Yosipovitch,et al.  Contact dermatitis: a common adverse reaction to topical traditional Chinese medicine , 2010, International journal of dermatology.

[17]  C. Srinivas,et al.  Allergic contact dermatitis following aromatherapy with valiya narayana thailam–an ayurvedic oil presenting as exfoliative dermatitis , 2009 .

[18]  P. Barnes,et al.  Complementary and alternative medicine use among adults and children: United States, 2007. , 2008, National health statistics reports.

[19]  H. Kitzman,et al.  Don't ask, don't tell: parental nondisclosure of complementary and alternative medicine and over-the-counter medication use in children's asthma management. , 2008, Journal of pediatric health care : official publication of National Association of Pediatric Nurse Associates & Practitioners.

[20]  C. Camargo,et al.  Randomized controlled trial of vitamin D supplementation for winter‐related atopic dermatitis in Boston: a pilot study , 2008, The British journal of dermatology.

[21]  Patricia Reutemann,et al.  Neem oil: an herbal therapy for alopecia causes dermatitis. , 2008, Dermatitis : contact, atopic, occupational, drug.

[22]  A. Kawada,et al.  Allergic contact dermatitis caused by sesame oil in a topical Chinese medicine, shi‐un‐ko , 2008, Contact dermatitis.

[23]  J. Fowler,et al.  Complementary and alternative remedies: an additional source of potential systemic nickel exposure , 2007, Contact dermatitis.

[24]  A. Muraro,et al.  Diagnosis and treatment of atopic dermatitis in children and adults: European Academy of Allergology and Clinical Immunology/American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology/PRACTALL Consensus Report , 2006, Allergy.

[25]  E. Simpson,et al.  A cross-sectional survey of complementary and alternative medicine use in patients with atopic dermatitis. , 2003, American journal of contact dermatitis : official journal of the American Contact Dermatitis Society.

[26]  E. Ernst.  Adverse effects of herbal drugs in dermatology , 2000, The British journal of dermatology.

[27]  J. Istvan,et al.  The prevalence of atopic dermatitis in Oregon schoolchildren. , 2000, Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.

[28]  J. Bazex,et al.  Allergic contact dermatitis from camomile used in phytotherapy. , 2000, Contact dermatitis.

[29]  Schäfer,et al.  The influence of cultural and educational factors on the validity of symptom and diagnosis questions for atopic eczema , 1998, The British journal of dermatology.

[30]  R. Roberge,et al.  Garlic burns of the breast. , 1997, The American journal of emergency medicine.

[31]  T. Y. Lee,et al.  Irritant contact dermatitis due to a Chinese herbal medicine Lu‐Shen‐Wan , 1988, Contact dermatitis.

[32]  E. Stolz,et al.  Chromate dermatitis from a homeopathic drug , 1988, Contact dermatitis.

[33]  E. Simpson,et al.  Eczema prevalence in the United States: data from the 2003 National Survey of Children's Health. , 2011, The Journal of investigative dermatology.

[34]  O. Hernell,et al.  Does vitamin D intake during infancy promote the development of atopic allergy? , 2009, Acta dermato-venereologica.

[35]  M. Caproni,et al.  Contact dermatitis from Rhus toxicodendron in a homeopathic remedy. , 2004, Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.

[36]  Y. Benjamini,et al.  Controlling the false discovery rate: a practical and powerful approach to multiple testing , 1995 .