Division of Allergy, Immunology and Rheumatology, Dalin Tzu Chi Hospital, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, Dalin, Chiayi 622401, Taiwan.
School of Medicine, Tzu Chi University, Hualien City 97004, Taiwan.
Medicina (Kaunas). 2022 Jul 17;58(7):944. doi: 10.3390/medicina58070944.
Background and Objectives: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic systemic autoimmune disease that affects predominantly women in the childbearing years. Patients may seek complementary therapies to manage their health and to reduce symptoms. However, to our knowledge, no studies have explored the association between clinical manifestations of SLE and complementary therapies. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the association of complementary therapies with common clinical manifestations in Taiwanese female patients with SLE. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at a regional teaching hospital in southern Taiwan. Outpatients from the rheumatology clinic who met the inclusion criteria were consecutively recruited. Demographic data, clinical manifestations of SLE, and types of complementary therapy use were determined using paper-based questionnaire. Multiple logistic regression analyses were conducted to investigate the use of complementary therapies associated with clinical manifestations of SLE. Results: Of the 317 female patients with SLE, 60.9% were 40 years or older. The five SLE clinical manifestations with the highest prevalence were Raynaud’s phenomenon (61.2%), photosensitivity (50.2%), Sjögren’s syndrome (28.4%), arthralgia and arthritis (22.1%), and renal involvement (14.5%). Multiple logistic regression analyses revealed that Raynaud’s phenomenon was significantly associated with fitness walking or strolling (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.77; p = 0.027) and fish oil supplements (aOR 3.55, p < 0.001). Photosensitivity was significantly and inversely associated with the use of probiotics (aOR 0.49; p = 0.019). Renal involvement was significantly associated with the use of probiotics (aOR 2.43; p = 0.026) and visit to the Chinese medicine department in a hospital (aOR 3.14, p = 0.026). Conclusions: We found that different clinical manifestations of SLE were associated with the use of different complementary therapies. Health care providers should have up-to-date knowledge of common complementary therapies and be ready to provide evidence-based advice to patients with SLE.
系统性红斑狼疮（SLE）是一种慢性全身性自身免疫性疾病，主要影响生育期女性。患者可能会寻求补充疗法来管理自己的健康并减轻症状。然而，据我们所知，尚无研究探讨 SLE 的临床表现与补充疗法之间的关联。因此，本研究旨在调查台湾女性 SLE 患者常见临床表现与补充疗法的相关性。
本研究为台湾南部一家地区教学医院的横断面研究。连续招募符合纳入标准的风湿科门诊患者。使用纸质问卷确定人口统计学数据、SLE 的临床表现和补充疗法的使用类型。采用多因素逻辑回归分析调查与 SLE 临床表现相关的补充疗法的使用情况。
在 317 例女性 SLE 患者中，60.9%的患者年龄在 40 岁或以上。患病率最高的五种 SLE 临床表现分别为雷诺现象（61.2%）、光过敏（50.2%）、干燥综合征（28.4%）、关节痛和关节炎（22.1%）以及肾脏受累（14.5%）。多因素逻辑回归分析显示，雷诺现象与健身散步或闲逛（调整后的优势比[aOR]1.77；p=0.027）和鱼油补充剂（aOR 3.55，p<0.001）显著相关。光过敏与益生菌的使用呈显著负相关（aOR 0.49；p=0.019）。肾脏受累与益生菌的使用（aOR 2.43；p=0.026）和到医院中医部门就诊（aOR 3.14，p=0.026）显著相关。
我们发现，SLE 的不同临床表现与不同的补充疗法相关。医疗保健提供者应掌握常见补充疗法的最新知识，并准备为 SLE 患者提供基于证据的建议。
