Practice of complementary and alternative medicine use in North Indian children with type 1 diabetes: an exploratory study

Priyanka Walia; Latika Rohilla; Devi Dayal

doi:10.1007/s13340-023-00663-9

Practice of complementary and alternative medicine use in North Indian children with type 1 diabetes: an exploratory study

Diabetol Int. 2023 Sep 22;15(2):170-176. doi: 10.1007/s13340-023-00663-9. eCollection 2024 Apr.

Authors

Priyanka Walia¹, Latika Rohilla², Devi Dayal²

Affiliations

¹ Endocrinology and Diabetes Unit, Department of Pediatrics, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India.
² Endocrinology and Diabetes Unit, Department of Pediatrics, 3108, Level III, Advanced Pediatrics Centre, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, 160012 India.

Abstract

Purpose: Intermittent or concurrent use of Complementary and Alternative medicines (CAM) with insulin may have adverse effects in children with Type 1 Diabetes (T1DM). This study explores the practices of CAM use in children with T1DM.

Methods: An exploratory study was conducted among parents of children with T1DM attending a tertiary-level diabetes clinic. Data were collected using a structured pre-tested questionnaire.

Results: Two-hundred parents were invited; 183 (91.5%) completed the study. The mean age of the children was lower among CAM users than others (7.9 ± 4.3 vs 9.3 ± 4.3 years, p 0.032). The two groups were similar in gender, family income, parental education, and age at diagnosis. Sixty-seven (36.6%) had used CAM. The parents' reasoning for CAM use was to cure diabetes (62.7%), to improve glycemic control (28.3%), or considering it harmless (17.9%). The most commonly used CAMs were Ayurveda (32.8%) and homeopathic preparations (31.3%). The time interval between diagnosis and CAM use ranged from 1 day to 4 years. The duration of CAM use varied widely; 50.7% used CAM for < 1 month. Only 10 CAM users had HbA1C estimated during CAM use; their mean HbA1C was 12.4 ± 3.6%. Twenty-seven CAM users (40.2%) reported poorer glycemic control; 26.8% had no effect, and the rest had undefined effects due to too short duration of use.

Conclusion: CAM, mostly herbal, is frequently used among children with T1DM in North India and has detrimental effects on glycemic control. This information should be used during diabetes education to avoid medical emergencies related to sub-optimal insulin dosing.

Supplementary information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13340-023-00663-9.

Keywords: Children; Complementary and alternative medicine; Glycemic control; Practices; Type 1 diabetes.

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