The Utilization of Chinese Herbal Products for Hyperthyroidism in National Health Insurance System (NHIRD) of Taiwan: A Population-Based Study

Cheng Chieh Chang, Szu Ying Wu, Yun Ru Lai, Yu Chiang Hung, Chung Y. Hsu, Hsuan Ju Chen, Cheng Chung Chu, Jai Hong Cheng, Wen Long Hu*, Chun En Aurea Kuo*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal Article peer-review

3 Scopus citations

Abstract

Background. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) relieves associated symptoms of hyperthyroidism such as heat intolerance, palpitations, tremor, anxiety, weight loss, increased frequency of bowel movements, and shortness of breath. However, there are no studies regarding the core prescription patterns of herbal formula and single herbs for hyperthyroidism in Taiwan. Materials and Methods. This is a retrospective, observational study using the National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD) in Taiwan to analyze the prescription patterns of TCM. Demographic factors, such as sex, age, occupational status, and residential area, and the risk factors for hyperthyroidism were also studied. Results. The outpatient or/and inpatient services for hyperthyroidism receive 17,707 cases in a year. Overall, there were 13,394 newly diagnosed patients. TCM was used in 73% of the patients, and 77.3% of the patients were females. The acceptability of TCM was higher among female patients. Most patients were diagnosed with hyperthyroidism between the ages of 30 and 49 years. The most common comorbidity identified was diabetes mellitus. The most commonly prescribed Chinese herbal product (CHP) formula was Jia-Wei-Xia-Yao-San, while Xia-Ku-Cao was the most commonly prescribed single CHP. There was a high coprescription rate for Xuan-Shen, Bei-Mu, and Mu-Li. Conclusion. This study describes the core prescription pattern of TCM used in the treatment of patients with hyperthyroidism in Taiwan. The most frequently used CHPs could be potential candidates for future pharmacologic studies or clinical trials.

Original languageEnglish
Article number5500604
JournalEvidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine
Volume2022
DOIs
StatePublished - 2022

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 Cheng-Chieh Chang et al.

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