Regional variations in the use of complementary and alternative medicines for inflammatory bowel disease patients in Italy:an IG-IBD study.

Abstract Background and aim: Complementary and alternative medicines (CAM) are being used increasingly by patients with Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC). We aimed to assess the prevalence and usage of CAM in different geographical areas of Italy and possible predictors of their use. Methods and materials: A structured questionnaire, administered to outpatients, attending 8 general hospitals and 9 tertiary referral centres, was completed by 2011 patients (909 CD, 1087 UC and 15 indeterminate colitis). 583 patients lived in the North, 659 in Central Italy and 769 in the South. Results: CAM users were 475 (23.6%) with no regional differences in their distribution. Usage correla…