Dataset Information

Traditional Chinese Medicine Treatment Associated with Female Infertility in Taiwan: A Population-Based Case-Control Study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for the treatment of female infertility remains ambiguous. The aim of the present case-control study was to examine the association between TCM treatment and successful pregnancy among infertile women.

Methods

This population-based case-control study included the data from 2,627 infertile women with successful pregnancy and 2,627 infertile women without successful pregnancy using datasets from the Longitudinal Health Insurance Database 2000 of the National Health Insurance Research Database during 2000-2010. The odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the relationship between TCM use and successful pregnancy in infertility women were estimated using logistic regression.

Results

Patients who received TCM treatment significantly increased in successful pregnancy (OR?=?1.48; 95% CI?=?1.31-1.66), compared with patients without TCM. Si-Wu-Tang (OR?=?4.25; 95% CI?=?2.18, 8.30), Gui-Zhi-Fu-Ling-Wan (OR?=?3.27; 95% CI?=?2.13, 5.02), and Jia-Wei-Xiao-Yao-San (OR?=?3.17; 95% CI?=?2.35, 4.28) were the TCM agents that were most strongly associated with successful pregnancy among infertile women.

Conclusions

Our study findings indicate that TCM is associated with higher likelihood of successful pregnancy in infertile women, which is worthy of further investigation by randomized control trial.

SUBMITTER: Liao YH

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7749771 | biostudies-literature | 2020

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Traditional Chinese Medicine Treatment Associated with Female Infertility in Taiwan: A Population-Based Case-Control Study.

Liao Yueh-Hsiang YH Lin Jaung-Geng JG Lin Cheng-Chieh CC Tsai Chin-Chuan CC Lai Hui-Lien HL Li Tsai-Chung TC

Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM 20201208

<h4>Background</h4>Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for the treatment of female infertility remains ambiguous. The aim of the present case-control study was to examine the association between TCM treatment and successful pregnancy among infertile women.<h4>Methods</h4>This population-based case-control study included the data from 2,627 infertile women with successful pregnancy and 2,627 infertile women without successful pregnancy using datasets from the Longitudinal Health Insurance Database ...[more]

PMID: 33381200

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Project description:BackgroundTraditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is one of the most popular complementary and alternative medicine modalities worldwide. In Chinese and East Asian societies, TCM plays an active role in the modern health care system and is even covered by the National Health Insurance Program of Taiwan. Liver cancer is the second most common cancer in Taiwan. This study aimed to analyze the TCM utilization patterns of patients with liver cancer from 1996-2007 using a population-based random sample of one million insured patients.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted using registration and claim data sets from 1996 to 2007 obtained from the Longitudinal Health Insurance Database 2005 (LHID2005). The outpatient datasets contained the encounter form-based dates of visit, three items from the International Classification of Diseases (Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification codes), the primary procedure (e.g., drug or diagnostic procedure), type of copayment, billed amount, and paid amount. Only ambulatory care was analyzed.ResultsA total of 6358 liver cancer patients utilized ambulatory care during the study period. Among them, 1240 (19.50%) availed of TCM outpatient services. The prevalence of TCM use fluctuated during the study period, with a peak of 25.11% in 2001. After multivariable adjustment, the likelihood of TCM users was lower in participants aged 70?years and older (odds ratio, OR?=?0.79, 95% confidence interval, CI: 0.64-0.97), males (OR?=?0.60, 95% CI: 0.52-0.68), residents of Taipei (OR?=?0.75, 95% CI: 0.58-0.96) as well as farmers and fishermen (OR?=?0.71, 95% CI: 0.54-0.94), but was higher in residents of central Taiwan (OR?=?1.99, 95% CI: 1.56-2.54. Most biomedicine and TCM outpatient services were provided by private clinics, followed by private hospitals. The two most frequently recorded coexisting diseases for both biomedicine and TCM outpatient visits specifically for liver cancer were (1) chronic liver disease and cirrhosis, and (2) malignant neoplasm of the liver and hepatic bile duct. The mean fee per visit for biomedicine was much higher than that for TCM, and the average expenditure was NT$429.73 (US$13.25) per biomedicine visit and NT$301.93 (US$9.32) per TCM visit (US$1?=?NT$32.4 in 2007). For outpatient visits specifically for liver cancer, the mean fee per visit for biomedicine was much higher than that for TCM. The average cost per visit was NT$1457.31 (US$44.98) for biomedicine and NT$1080.76 (US$33.36) for TCM.ConclusionTCM was widely used by the patients with liver cancer, and the prevalence of TCM use remained stably high during the study period. The costs of insurance covering TCM were consistently lower than those covering biomedicine in patients with liver cancer. The findings of this study should be useful for health policy makers as well as researchers considering the integration of TCM and biomedicine.

Project description:The increasing interest and demand for skin whitening products globally, particularly in Asia, have necessitated rapid advances in research on skin whitening products used in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). Herein, we investigated 74 skin whitening prescriptions sold in TCM pharmacies in Taiwan. Commonly used medicinal materials were defined as those with a relative frequency of citation (RFC) > 0.2 and their characteristics were evaluated. Correlation analysis of commonly used medicinal materials was carried out to identify the core component of the medicinal materials. Of the purchased 74 skin whitening prescriptions, 36 were oral prescriptions, 37 were external prescriptions, and one prescription could be used as an oral or external prescription. After analysis, 90 traditional Chinese medicinal materials were obtained. The Apiaceae (10%; 13%) and Leguminosae (9%; 11%) were the main sources of oral and external medicinal materials, respectively. Oral skin whitening prescriptions were found to be mostly warm (46%) and sweet (53%), while external skin whitening prescriptions included cold (43%) and bitter (29%) medicinal materials. Additionally, mainly tonifying and replenishing effects of the materials were noted. Pharmacological analysis indicated that these medicinal materials may promote wound healing, treat inflammatory skin diseases, or anti-hyperpigmentation. According to the Spearman correlation analysis on interactions among medicinal materials with an RFC > 0.2 in the oral skin whitening prescriptions, Paeonia lactiflora Pall. (white) and Atractylodes macrocephala Koidz. showed the highest correlation (confidence score = 0.93), followed by Ziziphus jujuba Mill. (red) and Astragalus propinquus Schischkin (confidence score = 0.91). Seven medicinal materials in external skin whitening prescriptions with an RFC > 0.2, were classified as Taiwan qī bái sàn (an herbal preparation), including Angelica dahurica (Hoffm.) Benth. & Hook. f. ex Franch. & Sav., Wolfiporia extensa (Peck) Ginns, Bletilla striata (Thunb.) Rchb. f., Atractylodes macrocephala Koidz., Ampelopsis japonica (Thunb.) Makino, Paeonia lactiflora Pall. (white), and Bombyx mori Linnaeus. Skin whitening prescriptions included multiple traditional Chinese medicinal materials. Despite the long history of use, there is a lack of studies concerning skin whitening products, possibly due to the complex composition of traditional Chinese medicine. Further studies are required to assess the efficacy and safety of these traditional Chinese medicinal materials for inclusion in effective, safe, and functional pharmacological products.

Dataset Information

Traditional Chinese Medicine Treatment Associated with Female Infertility in Taiwan: A Population-Based Case-Control Study.

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Publications

Traditional Chinese Medicine Treatment Associated with Female Infertility in Taiwan: A Population-Based Case-Control Study.

Similar Datasets

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