Integrative medicine in multiple myeloma and plasma cell disorders

Introduction: Integrative Medicine (IM) use and efficacy is poorly defined in those with plasma cell disorders (PCD). A 69-question survey on the subject was hosted on HealthTree.org for 3 months. Method: The survey included questions about complementary practice use, PHQ-2 score, quality of life, a...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Onyemaechi Okolo (Author), Betsy C. Wertheim (Author), Ashley Larsen (Author), Nathan W. Sweeney (Author), Jennifer M. Ahlstrom (Author), Krisstina Gowin (Author)
Format: Book
Published: Elsevier, 2023-05-01T00:00:00Z.
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Summary:Introduction: Integrative Medicine (IM) use and efficacy is poorly defined in those with plasma cell disorders (PCD). A 69-question survey on the subject was hosted on HealthTree.org for 3 months. Method: The survey included questions about complementary practice use, PHQ-2 score, quality of life, and more. Mean outcome values were compared between IM users and non-users. Proportions of supplement users and IM patients were compared between patients currently on myeloma specific treatment and patients not currently on treatment. Results: The top 10 IM modalities reported among 178 participants were aerobic exercise (83 %), nutrition (67 %), natural products (60 %), strength exercise (52 %), support groups (48 %), breathing exercises (44 %), meditation (42 %), yoga (40 %), mindfulness-based stress reduction (38 %), and massage (38 %). The survey showed most patients participated in IM modalities, though they felt uncomfortable discussing them with their oncologist. Participant characteristics were compared between groups (users and non-users) using two-sample t-tests and chi-square tests. Use of vitamin C (3.6 vs. 2.7; p = 0.01), medical marijuana (4.0 vs. 2.9; p = 0.03), support groups (3.4 vs. 2.7; p = 0.04), and massage (3.5 vs. 2.7; p = 0.03) were associated with a higher quality of life scores on MDA-SI MM. There were no other significant associations between supplement use or IM practices and the MDA-SI MM, brief fatigue inventory, or PHQ-2. Conclusion: This study provides a foundation in the understanding of IM use in PCD, but more research is needed to evaluate individual IM interventions and their efficacy.
Item Description:0965-2299
10.1016/j.ctim.2023.102939