Yi-Chun Lin1, Tung-Ti Chang2, Husan-Ju Chen3, Chung-Hsing Wang4, Mao-Feng Sun5, Hung-Rong Yen6. 1. Department of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung 404, Taiwan. Electronic address: d22199@mail.cmuh.org.tw. 2. Department of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung 404, Taiwan; School of Post-Baccalaureate Chinese Medicine, College of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung 404, Taiwan. Electronic address: tchang0604@yahoo.com.tw. 3. Health Data Management Office, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung 404, Taiwan. Electronic address: forever750428@gmail.com. 4. Department of Pediatrics, China Medical University Children's Hospital, Taichung 404, Taiwan; School of Medicine, College of Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung 404, Taiwan. Electronic address: d5894@mail.cmuh.org.tw. 5. Department of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung 404, Taiwan; School of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung 404, Taiwan. Electronic address: maofeng@mail.cmuh.org.tw. 6. Department of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung 404, Taiwan; School of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung 404, Taiwan; Research Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine, Department of Medical Research, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung 404, Taiwan; Research Center for Chinese Herbal Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung 404, Taiwan; Department of Biotechnology, Asia University, Taichung 404, Taiwan. Electronic address: hungrongyen@gmail.com.
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Precocious puberty (PP) occurs in children with the early onset of pubertal development leading to physical and psychological problems. Current medical treatment is expensive and has its side effects. However, little is known about the utilization of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) among patients with PP. To characterize the application of TCM among these patients, we conducted a nationwide population-based study. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We used the Taiwanese National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD), to perform a nationwide population-based study. The NHIRD has a derived dataset with the information for a randomly selected half of all insured children from 1997 to 2008 in Taiwan. We identified children <18 years of age with newly diagnosed sexual precocity (ICD-9 CM code: 259.1). The subjects were categorized based on the inclusion of TCM in their treatment plan. RESULTS: Overall, 3495 newly diagnosed subjects with sexual precocity were included. Among these children, 1.86% (N=65) had used TCM. There were significantly more subjects with no treatment, 87.32% (N=3052), than those with treatment of TCM, western medicine, or both. Most of the TCM users received Chinese herbal remedies (98.25%), and only 1.75% received acupuncture or manipulative therapies. Zhi-Bai-Di-Huang-Wan was the most frequently prescribed TCM formulation (23.73%), while Mai-Ya (Fructus Hordei Germinatus) was the most commonly prescribed single herb (10.87%). CONCLUSION: Our study identified the characteristics and prescription patterns of TCM for children with PP in Taiwan. Further basic mechanistic studies and clinical trials are needed to confirm the efficacy and mechanism.
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Precocious puberty (PP) occurs in children with the early onset of pubertal development leading to physical and psychological problems. Current medical treatment is expensive and has its side effects. However, little is known about the utilization of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) among patients with PP. To characterize the application of TCM among these patients, we conducted a nationwide population-based study. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We used the Taiwanese National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD), to perform a nationwide population-based study. The NHIRD has a derived dataset with the information for a randomly selected half of all insured children from 1997 to 2008 in Taiwan. We identified children <18 years of age with newly diagnosed sexual precocity (ICD-9 CM code: 259.1). The subjects were categorized based on the inclusion of TCM in their treatment plan. RESULTS: Overall, 3495 newly diagnosed subjects with sexual precocity were included. Among these children, 1.86% (N=65) had used TCM. There were significantly more subjects with no treatment, 87.32% (N=3052), than those with treatment of TCM, western medicine, or both. Most of the TCM users received Chinese herbal remedies (98.25%), and only 1.75% received acupuncture or manipulative therapies. Zhi-Bai-Di-Huang-Wan was the most frequently prescribed TCM formulation (23.73%), while Mai-Ya (Fructus Hordei Germinatus) was the most commonly prescribed single herb (10.87%). CONCLUSION: Our study identified the characteristics and prescription patterns of TCM for children with PP in Taiwan. Further basic mechanistic studies and clinical trials are needed to confirm the efficacy and mechanism.
Keywords:
Fructus Hordei Germinatus; National Health Insurance Research Database; Precocious Puberty; Traditional Chinese Medicine; Zhi-Bai-Di-Huang-Wan