DOI: 10.1097/01.sa.0000151219.83770.cf
,
Issn Print: 0039-6206
Publication Date: 2005/02/01
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Excerpt
(J Clin Anesth, 16:4-6, 2004)
Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Children's Hospital Boston and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA.
The use of complementary and alternative medicine is distributed widely across all socioeconomic groups. In 1994, 11% of children consulted complementary and alternative practitioners, and such therapy is commonly used for children with routine medical problems. This prospective, consecutive clinical study and questionnaire focused on the pediatric presurgical population and its use of complementary and alternative medicine therapies.
Over an 8-month period, a total of 1100 surveys were distributed to children younger than 18 years during their preoperative visit. The questionnaire asked about the use of herbs and complementary and alternative therapies within 1 year before the anticipated surgery.
A total of 1021 (93%) surveys were completed, and of these, 301 (29.9%) of the respondents had tried 1 or more complementary and alternative therapies in the past year. The female/male patient ratio of responders was 1.2:1, with an average age of 9.2 ± 5.7 years. The most commonly used complementary and alternative medical therapies were herbal remedies 12.8%, massage 8.2%, chiropractic 5.1%, acupuncture 4.2%, homeopathic remedies 3.6%, and biofeedback 1.6%. Echinacea was the most common herbal remedy (20.6%), followed by aloe (15.9%), cranberry (6.6%), St. John's wort (3.3%), and goldenseal (2.6%). Primrose, Ginkgo biloba, garlic, and ginseng were also used. No correlation was found between the use of these therapies and the age groups or planned surgical procedures.
Anesthesiologists must be aware of the usage of various herbal supplements in pediatric patients and determine the potential of drug and anesthetic interactions in the perioperative period. Health care providers for children need to enhance their knowledge of complementary and alternative therapies, their uses, benefits, and potential side effects for the safety, well-being, and optimal health of all pediatric patients.
