Identifying complementary and alternative medicine recommendations for insomnia treatment and care: a systematic review and critical assessment of comprehensive clinical practice guidelines.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to evaluate the credibility and recommendations of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapies, including Chamomile, for insomnia management based on existing clinical practice guidelines.
Results Summary
Chamomile was not recommended for insomnia management due to its risk profile and/or limited benefits, as concluded by consensus across multiple guidelines. The evidence supporting its use was scarce and weak.
Population
Individuals with insomnia (specific demographics not detailed).
Effective Dosage
Not specified
Duration
Not specified
Interactions
None mentioned
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
bibliotherapy | increase | insomnia management | - | based on little and weak evidence | positively recommended | #1 |
Tai Chi | increase | insomnia management | - | based on little and weak evidence | positively recommended | #2 |
Yoga | increase | insomnia management | - | based on little and weak evidence | positively recommended | #3 |
auriculotherapy | increase | insomnia management | - | based on little and weak evidence | positively recommended | #4 |
valerian | no change | insomnia management | - | because of risk profile and/or limited benefits | not recommended | #5 |
chamomile | no change | insomnia management | - | because of risk profile and/or limited benefits | not recommended | #6 |
kava | no change | insomnia management | - | because of risk profile and/or limited benefits | not recommended | #7 |
aromatherapy | no change | insomnia management | - | because of risk profile and/or limited benefits | not recommended | #8 |
BACKGROUND: There is a need for evidence-informed guidance on the use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) for insomnia because of its widespread utilization and a lack of guidance on the balance of benefits and harms. This systematic review aimed to identify and summarize the CAM recommendations associated with insomnia treatment and care from existing comprehensive clinical practice guidelines (CPGs). The quality of the eligible guidelines was appraised to assess the credibility of these recommendations. METHODS: Formally published CPGs incorporating CAM recommendations for insomnia management were searched for in seven databases from their inception to January 2023. The NCCIH website and six websites of international guideline developing institutions were also retrieved. The methodological and reporting quality of each included guideline was appraised using the AGREE II instrument and RIGHT statement, respectively. RESULTS: Seventeen eligible GCPs were included, and 14 were judged to be of moderate to high methodological and reporting quality. The reporting rate of eligible CPGs ranged from 42.9 to 97.1%. Twenty-two CAM modalities were implicated, involving nutritional or natural products, physical CAM, psychological CAM, homeopathy, aromatherapy, and mindful movements. Recommendations for these modalities were mostly unclear, unambiguous, uncertain, or conflicting. Logically explained graded recommendations supporting the CAM use in the treatment and/or care of insomnia were scarce, with bibliotherapy, Tai Chi, Yoga, and auriculotherapy positively recommended based on little and weak evidence. The only consensus was that four phytotherapeutics including valerian, chamomile, kava, and aromatherapy were not recommended for insomnia management because of risk profile and/or limited benefits. CONCLUSIONS: Existing guidelines are generally limited in providing clear, evidence-informed recommendations for the use of CAM therapies for insomnia management due to a lack of high-quality evidence and multidisciplinary consultation in CPG development. More well-designed studies to provide reliable clinical evidence are therefore urgently needed. Allowing the engagement of a range of interdisciplinary stakeholders in future updates of CPGs is also warranted. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=369155, identifier: CRD42022369155.