Complementary and Alternative Medicine Use in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Cases in South Korea
Table 4
Adverse effects of CAM use among patients with ALS (n = 22).
Questionnaire
n (%)
Type of adverse effect
Systemic reaction
2 (9.1)
Skin and appendix
1 (4.5)
Eye/nose/ear/mouth
1 (4.5)
Cardiovascular system
1 (4.5)
Gastrointestinal tract
3 (13.6)
Liver and biliary tract
1 (4.5)
Respiratory system
2 (9.1)
Mental and behavioural disorders
2 (9.1)
Endocrine and genitourinary system
1 (4.5)
Musculoskeletal disorders
4 (18.2)
Others
4 (18.2)
Severity of adverse effects
Mild
16 (72.7)
Moderate
4 (18.2)
Severe§
2 (9.1)
Changes of CAM use after adverse effects
Maintaining dosage and procedure
14 (63.6)
Reducing dosage and number of procedures
2 (9.1)
Stopping CAM use
6 (27.3)
Recovery of adverse effects
Recovered
8 (36.4)
In the state of recovery
10 (45.5)
Not recovered (aftereffects remain)
3 (13.6)
Missing data
1 (4.5)
CAM, complementary and alternative medicine; ALS, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Cases wherein adverse effects do not significantly interfere with normal life; patients do not require treatment. Cases with significantly affected normal life; patients may require treatment or may have recovered after treatment. §Cases requiring a high degree of treatment; the aftereffects remain.
