Dietary Supplement Use in Patients With Celiac Disease in the United States. Issue 7 (August 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Nazareth, Samantha; Lebwohl, Benjamin; Tennyson, Christina A.; Simpson, Suzanne; Greenlee, Heather; Green, Peter H.
• Is Part Of: Journal of clinical gastroenterology. Volume 49:Issue 7(2015)
• Publication Date: 2015-08
• Subjects: Gastroenterology -- Periodicals; Digestive organs -- Diseases -- Periodicals; Gastroenterology -- Periodicals; Digestive organs -- Diseases; Gastroenterology; Periodicals; Periodicals; 616.33005
• DOI: 10.1097/MCG.0000000000000218
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0192-0790

Abstract

<abstract> <title> <x xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <sec> <title>Background:</title> <p>There has been increasing interest in the use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in the general population. Little is known about CAM use in patients with celiac disease (CD).</p> </sec> <sec> <title>Goals:</title> <p>We aimed to determine the demographics and clinical characteristics of patients with biopsy-proven CD who use dietary supplements to treat their symptoms.</p> </sec> <sec> <title>Study:</title> <p>CD patients completed a questionnaire on demographics, types of dietary supplement use, attitudes toward CAM, and 3 validated scales: CD-related Quality Of Life (CD-QOL), the CD Symptoms Index (CSI), and the CD Adherence Test (CDAT).</p> </sec> <sec> <title>Results:</title> <p>Of 423 patients, 100 (23.6%) used dietary supplements to treat CD symptoms. The most frequently used supplement was probiotics (n=59). Supplement users had a higher CD-QOL score (75.06 vs. 71.43, <italic>P</italic>=0.04) but had more symptoms based on CSI (35.64 vs. 32.05, <italic>P</italic>=0.0032). On multivariable analysis, adjusting for age, sex, education, symptom improvement following a gluten-free diet, and where the survey was completed, patients presenting with classic symptoms (OR, 2.56; 95% CI, 1.01-6.44) or nonclassic symptoms (OR, 2.75; 95% CI, 1.04-7.24) were significantly more likely to use supplements than those with asymptomatic/screen-detected CD.</p> </sec> <sec> <title>Conclusions:</title> <p>Patients with biopsy-proven CD who have symptoms at diagnosis tend to use dietary supplements more than those that are screen detected. Those using supplements report persistent symptoms, but a higher quality of life. The contribution of the gluten-free diet and supplement use to quality of life in the symptomatic CD patient needs to be determined.</p> </sec> </abstract>