Critical Review of Complementary and Alternative Medicine Use in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: Prevalence and Users' Profile, Decision-Making, Information Seeking, and Disclosure in the Face of a Lack of Efficacy

Background: Despite a lack of evidence of clinical efficacy for complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), these medicines remain popular around the world. Objective: To examine the prevalence and cost of CAM use in ALS and CAM users' profile, decision-making, information seeking, and disclosure among ALS patients. Methods: A comprehensive literature search was conducted of MEDLINE, CINAHL/SCOPUS, and AMED databases from their inception to April 2018. This review followed PRISMA guidelines and employed a quality scoring system to assess the included papers. Results: Seven papers met the inclusion criteria and were thematically analysed. ALS patients utilized a range of CAM therapies and/or products, with acupuncture and vitamins being the most frequently reported. CAM modalities were often employed concurrently with conventional medications throughout the disease process. Although some ALS patients reported positive experience regarding CAM use, many were reluctant to disclose their CAM use to their clinicians. Research focusing on CAM use in ALS remains ad hoc and restricted to only a few countries. The rigour and quality of this research field to date has been varied, predominantly drawing upon regional/localized data and failing to report CAM users' characteristics. Conclusion: A proportion of ALS patients report utilizing CAM concurrently with conventional treatments. Such use, set amidst a dearth of evidence for the efficacy of CAM in ALS, poses potential direct and indirect risks to patient care, and medical providers should be mindful of and enquire about CAM use when treating ALS patients. (c) 2018 S. Karger AG, Basel.