Prescription pattern of Chinese herbal products for adult-onset asthma in Taiwan: a population-based study

Background: Throughout the world, asthma can be a life-threatening disease. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is commonly used among Taiwanese adults to control many diseases. Objective: To analyze the use of Chinese herbal products (CHPs) among adults with asthma in Taiwan. Methods: The use, frequency of service, and the type of CHP prescribed for asthma among adults with asthma were evaluated. The study group consisted of a randomly sampled cohort of 1,000,000 beneficiaries from the National Health Insurance Research Database. Logistic regression was used to estimate the odds ratios (ORs) for use of CHP. Results: Overall, 20,627 asthma patients (85.7%) used TCM. Ding-chuan-tang (panting-stabilizing decoction) was the most frequently prescribed CHP, followed by xiao-qing-long-tang (minor green-blue dragon decoction) and ma-xing-gan-shi-tang (ephedra, apricot kernel, licorice, and gypsum decoction). Conclusion: The use of CHPs among adults with asthma appears high. Ding-chuan-tang containing mahuang is the most commonly prescribed and consumed among adults with asthma. (C) 2014 American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.