Bruk av alternativ behandling blant pasienter med multippel sklerose : - en kartlegging

Abstract

Introduction: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic neurological disease. No curable treatment is available. Previous studies show that 30 to 90% of patients with MS have used alternative medicine. Our objective was to assess the frequency of use of alternative medicine among MS patients in Oslo. Methods: MS patients admitted at Ullevål University Hospital (UUS) were asked to complete a questionnaire about the use of alternative medicine. Clinical data were collected from the patients’ medical records. The data were compared to the MS-population of Oslo. Results: In total, 99 questionnaires were analysed. Of these, 72.7 % of the patients had used alternative medicine, women more frequently than men. The patients used this as a supplement to the conventional medicine. One third of the patients considered the treatment effective, one third were unsure of the effect. There was a trend towards more frequent use in patients with relapsing-remitting compared to primary progressive disease. We found no significant association between use of alternative medicine and disability. Average cost per year was 6978.35 Norwegian crowns. Vitamins and minerals in high dosages, food supplements and acupuncture were the most frequently used therapies. One third of the patients did not discuss alternative treatments with anyone in the health system. The MS-population in Oslo was quite similar to the population in our study. Conclusion: The use of alternative therapies by MS patients is quite frequent, and our results may represent the general MS population in Norway.