Complementary and alternative medicines in ankylosing spondylitis: a cross-sectional study

Prevalence of dietary complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) and consultation with a CAM practitioner was examined in a cross-sectional study of 75 AS patients. Seventy one of 75 (94.7%) study participants reported previous or current CAM use. Among these AS patients, 44 (72.1%) reported dietary CAM use and 27 (36.0%) were seeing a CAM practitioner at the time of study. Of 89 dietary CAM, 50 (56.4%) were perceived to be of slight or no benefit, and only 10 (11.2%) were initiated by a CAM practitioner. Compared with non-users, current dietary CAM users were more likely to be female (OR 6.5; 95% CI, 1.8–23.9). Patients attending a CAM practitioner were more likely to have university education (OR 5.7; 95% CI, 1.5–21.9) and higher BASDAI (OR 1.3; 95%CI, 1.0–1.7). Despite low rates of perceived benefit, dietary CAM use and CAM practitioner attendance is common among AS patients.