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The Contribution of Complementary and Alternative Medicine to Reduce Antibiotic Use: A Narrative Review of Health Concepts, Prevention, and Treatment Strategies

Baars EW 1 , Zoen EB 2 , Breitkreuz T 3 , Martin D 4 , Matthes H 5 , von Schoen-Angerer T 6 Show all authors , Soldner G 7 , Vagedes J 8 , van Wietmarschen H 1 , Patijn O 1 , Willcox M 9 , von Flotow P 10 , Teut M 5 , von Ammon K 11 , Thangavelu M 12 , Wolf U 11 , Hummelsberger J 13 , Nicolai T 14 , Hartemann P 15 , Szőke H 16 , McIntyre M 17 , van der Werf ET 18 , Huber R 19

Affiliations 

  • 1 Louis Bolk Institute, Kosterijland 3-5, 3981 AJ Bunnik, Netherlands
  • 2 University of Applied Sciences Leiden, Faculty of Healthcare, Zernikedreef 11, 2333 CK Leiden, Netherlands
  • 3 Filderklinik, Im Haberschlai 7, 70794 Filderstadt, Germany
  • 4 University of Witten/Herdecke, Alfred-Herrhausen-Straße 50, 58448 Witten, Germany
  • 5 Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Institute for Social Medicine, Epidemiology and Health Economics, Luisenstr. 57, 10117 Berlin, Germany
  • 6 Department of Pediatrics, Fribourg Hospital HFR, Fribourg, Switzerland
  • 7 Medical section of the Goetheanum, Rüttiweg 45 4143 Dornach, Switzerland
  • 8 ARCIM institute, Im Haberschlai 7, 70794 Filderstadt, Germany
  • 9 University of Southampton, University Road, Southampton SO17 1BJ, UK
  • 10 Sustainable Business Institute, Zehnthofstr. 1, 65375 Oestrich-Winkel, Germany
  • 11 University of Bern, Freiburgstrasse 46, 3010 Bern, Switzerland
  • 12 European Ayurveda Association e.V., In den Forstwiesen 27, D- 56745 Bell, Germany
  • 13 Technical University Munich, Georg-Brauchle-Ring 62, 80807 Munich, Germany
  • 14 Eurocam, Rue du Trône 194, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
  • 15 University of Lorraine, School of Medicine, 7 avenue de la Forêt de Haye, 54500 Vandoeuvre-Nancy, France
  • 16 University of Pécs, 7622 Pécs, Vasvári Pál str. 4., Hungary
  • 17 Midsummer Clinic, Church Westcote, Chipping Norton, Oxon, Ox7 6SF, UK
  • 18 Taylor's University, School of Medicine, 1, Jalan Taylor's, 47500 Subang Jaya, Selangor D.E., Malaysia
  • 19 University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, Breisacher Str. 115b, 79106 Freiburg, Germany
Evid Based Complement Alternat Med, 2019;2019:5365608.
PMID: 30854009 DOI: 10.1155/2019/5365608

Abstract

AIM: The aim of this narrative review was to explore the potential contributions of CAM to reduce antibiotic use.

METHODS: We searched PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews with a specific, limited set of search terms and collected input from a group of expert CAM researchers to answer the question: What is known about the contribution of CAM health and health promotion concepts, infection prevention, and infection treatment strategies to reduce antibiotic use? Results. The worldview-related CAM health concepts enable health promotion oriented infection prevention and treatment aimed at strengthening or supporting the self-regulating ability of the human organism to cope with diseases. There is some evidence that the CAM concepts of health (promotion) are in agreement with current conceptualization of health and that doctors who practice both CAM and conventional medicine prescribe less antibiotics, although selection bias of the presented studies cannot be ruled out. There is some evidence that prevention and some treatment strategies are effective and safe. Many CAM treatment strategies are promising but overall lack high quality evidence.

CONCLUSIONS: CAM prevention and treatment strategies may contribute to reducing antibiotic use, but more rigorous research is necessary to provide high quality evidence of (cost-)effectiveness.

* Title and MeSH Headings from MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

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