FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 7 DECEMBER 1999
Contact: Chris Martin; cmartin@rsh.net; 312-942-7820
High Percentage of Hepatitis C Patients Take Herbs and Vitamins,
According to Rush Survey
A survey conducted by Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical
Center found that 87 percent of Hepatitis C patients are currently
taking vitamins, herbal preparations or both.
"Use of alternative therapies is increasing in the United States
and many patients with chronic liver disease may use herbal and
over the counter medications believing that these are harmless and
potentially beneficial," said Dr. Donald Jensen, director of the
section of hepatology, Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical
Center.
However, there is little information on the safety and almost
none on the efficacy of these medications with an existing health
population, and less still in a patient population with chronic
Hepatitis C, he added.
Hepatitis C is a virus that people contract through blood
transfusions or sexual contact. There are approximately 3.9 million
Americans with Hepatitis C and 36,000 new cases are diagnosed each
year. Patients are treated with antiviral therapy, which has been
found to be effective in 10 to 40 percent of patients.
Jensen and other Rush hepatologists noticed patients were taking
these therapies and were concerned about the medication's effect on
their health and on the clinical trials
Rush is conducting. "It is not known what effect, if any, these
therapies have on the data that comes from clinical trials," he
said. "This is the first step toward understanding the role
alternative therapies play in Hepatitis C treatment." The patients
surveyed were undergoing treatment with antiviral therapy for their
condition.
In response, Rush asked 60 patients between April and June 1999
about their use of alternative therapies. Half of those patients
indicated they take vitamins or minerals, with 55 percent reporting
regular use of folic acid, 52 percent taking multivitamins, 28
percent using vitamin E, 23 percent taking vitamin C and 20 percent
on calcium.
Forty percent of those questioned said they take herbal
preparations, with milk thistle (25 percent) and St. John's Wort (8
percent) leading the way. Milk thistle has been touted by some as a
liver-protecting herb, because it contains an ingredient called
silymarin. Many people take St. John's Wort to relieve depression,
which is a common side effect of the Hepatitis C medication
interferon.
"We think this study will lead to future prospective studies to
further characterize the safety and efficacy of vitamin and herbal
use in Hepatitis C treatments," Jensen said.
The Rush survey found that Hepatitis C patients took the
following:
Vitamin and Mineral Supplement Use:
- Folic acid 55 percent
- Multivitamins 52 percent
- Vitamin E 28 percent
- Vitamin C 23 percent
- Calcium 20 percent
- Vitamin B complex 12 percent
- Vitamin A/carotene 8 percent
- Chromium 5 percent
- Vitamin B12 5 percent
- Zinc 3 percent
- CoQ10 2 percent
- Selenium 2 percent
Herbal Supplement Use:
- Any herbal preparation: 40 percent
- Milk thistle/silymarin: 25 percent
- St. John's Wort 8 percent
- Ginseng: 7 percent
- Garlic extract: 7 percent
- Thymus extract: 3 percent
- Gingko Biloba: 3 percent
- Mitake mushrooms: 3 percent
- Bee pollen: 3 percent
- Flax seed oil: 2 percent
- Echinacea: 2 percent
- Pine bark: 2 percent
- Billberry 2 percent
- Schizandra: 2 percent
- Chamomile 2 percent
- Cranberry: 2 percent
- Wild yams: 2 percent
- Aloe vera 2 percent
- Lobelia 2 percent
- Dong quai 1 percent
Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center includes the
809-bed Presbyterian-St. Luke's Hospital; 154-bed Johnston R.
Bowman Health Center for the Elderly; Rush University (Rush Medical
College, College of Nursing, College of Health Sciences and
Graduate College); and seven Rush Institutes providing diagnosis,
treatment and research into leading health problems. The medical
center is the tertiary hub of the Rush System for Health, a
comprehensive healthcare system capable of serving about three
million people through its outpatient facilities and eight member
hospitals.
SOURCE:
http://www.eurekalert.org/releases/rush-hpo120799.html
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