The decreased medical utility in asthma patients with traditional Chinese medicine: correspondence

We read with great interest the retrospective cohort study by Liaoet al.1 entitled ‘Traditional Chinese medicine use may reduce medical utility in patients with asthma’. Based on large-scale population-based data, the authors discover a significantly decreased medical utility of emergency visits and admissions in patients having traditional Chinese medicine, especially those w ho take more than 60 days of traditional Chinese medicine, by using the propensity score matching relevant measurable covariates; the study results bring us a helpful insight into clinical practice. We also agree with the comments of Chouet al.2 on the unassessed confounders associated with asthma attacks in this present study. Moreover, other residual confounders in relation to severe asthma and frequent exacerbations are not observed in the cohort study, as far as we are concerned. Viral respiratory infections, environmental pollens or pollutions, seasonal changes or thunderstorms, food allergies, tobacco smoke, noxious chemicals, occupational exposure, etc.3 –6 have been reported in association with asthma exacerbations, which may have a substantial influence on the study results. Limited information based on secondary data analysis of the Taiwanese National Health Insurance Research Database cannot completely resolve its potential confounding effects.1 Therefore, we would like to alert the readers to the possible effect of confounders on the study results when interpreting the findings of th...
Source: QJM - Category: Internal Medicine Source Type: research