Tranexamic acid as a therapeutic option for melasma management: meta-analysis and systematic review of randomized controlled trials.

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of tranexamic acid (TXA) in treating melasma through a meta-analysis and systematic review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs). The study focused on identifying associated adverse effects and comparing TXA's effectiveness with other melasma treatments.Materials and methods: Following PROSPERO and PRISMA guidelines, an extensive electronic search was conducted across four databases for RCTs on TXA use in melasma. Inclusion criteria encompassed full-text English articles with specific outcome measures, while studies with high bias risk or non-English publications were excluded. Data were extracted from 22 relevant studies and analyzed using the RevMan software, with heterogeneity identified using I² statistics and forest plots.Results: A total of 22 studies with 1280 patients were included. TXA was administered orally, topically, or via injection, with treatment durations ranging from 8 weeks to nearly 2 years. TXA significantly reduced melasma severity, evidenced by reductions in MASI, mMASI, MI, and hemi-MASI scores. Oral TXA showed the most substantial decrease in MASI scores, followed by injections and topical applications. However, studies exhibited high heterogeneity, particularly in combined treatments. Adverse effects included gastrointestinal discomfort, skin irritation, and menstrual irregularities.Conclusions: TXA is effective in treating melasma, either alone or combined with other treatments. Despite significant reductions in melasma severity, further research is necessary to standardize TXA administration methods and address long-term effects. The high heterogeneity observed suggests a need for more consistent treatment protocols.

Knowledge of Back Pain and Spinal Disorders Among the General Population in the Western Region of Saudi Arabia.

Introduction  Low back pain (LBP) is one of the most common global health problems and the second most common reason for seeking medical advice. However, most LBP does not indicate a serious disorder. Over half of the Saudi Arabian population experiences LBP at least once in their lives. Therefore, it is important to assess and understand how people manage this health problem. This study assessed back pain and spinal disorder knowledge among the general population in Saudi Arabia's western region. Methods This was a cross-sectional study of the general population in western Saudi Arabia. The data were collected using an online, self-administered, Arabic version of the validated questionnaire about LBP. A statistical analysis of the collected data was performed using a software program. Results A total of 754 eligible participants completed the questionnaire. Less than half of the participants could correctly define acute and chronic LBP and sciatica. Only 19.2% of participants were aware that medical history and clinical examinations are used to diagnose LBP. Young participants, university graduates, and unmarried participants had good LBP knowledge. Conclusion This study showed that the general population of Saudi Arabia in the Western region needs more knowledge about the definitions of acute and chronic LBP. However, they had fair knowledge about the aggravating factors and triggers of LBP. Young participants had better knowledge about LBP. Awareness campaigns with brochures and flyers can be used to increase the population's knowledge.

The Public's Knowledge of Osteoarthritis and Its Related Risk Factors in Makkah, Saudi Arabia.

Background Osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic progressive disease that leads to the destruction of the articular cartilage inside the joint. OA is a common everyday musculoskeletal disorder worldwide, and it is believed that OA is triggered by genetics and environmental factors, including age, which is the most significant risk factor. This study aimed to investigate the general population's knowledge of OA and its related risk factors in Makkah, Saudi Arabia. Methodology This cross-sectional study was performed between December 2022 and January 2023 among the general population of Makkah, Saudi Arabia using an online survey using Google Forms. An appropriate statistical analysis was then conducted on the collected data. Results A total of 1,087 participants enrolled in this study. According to the multivariate logistic regression analysis, 48% (n = 789) of the participants reported that OA occurs due to joint cartilage age and use. In total, 69.7% of the participants knew that OA is a chronic problem, 84.4% knew it is a common disease, and 39.3% thought that all types of joints can suffer from OA. Over half (53.1%) of the participants knew that joint stiffness is a sign of OA, and 63.4% thought that OA may lead to the loss of joint motion. Over four-fifths (82.5%) thought that advancing age is a risk factor for OA, and 27.5% incorrectly thought that the incidence of OA is equal between men and women. Overall, 62.9% of the participants knew about clinical examinations and X-rays. Moreover, 78% thought that physiotherapy can improve the symptoms of OA, and 65.3% thought that some types of exercise can help. Finally, 35.8% of the participants had an overall awareness of OA, while 64.2% had poor awareness. Conclusions The general public of Makkah showed low knowledge of OA and its associated risk factors. Many misunderstandings about the causes, risk factors, and treatment of OA were acknowledged. Awareness campaigns with brochures and flyers can be used to raise the population's knowledge.

The Prevalence of Nomophobia and Its Impact on Academic Performance of Medical Undergraduates at the College of Medicine, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah City, Saudi Arabia.

BACKGROUND: Nomophobia, or no mobile phone phobia, is a term used to describe psychological conditions when people fear being without a mobile phone. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to measure the prevalence of nomophobia, its associated factors, and its impact on the academic performance of medical undergraduates at Umm Al-Qura University (UQU), Makkah City, Saudi Arabia. METHODS: A descriptive cross-sectional study included a simple random sample of 595 medical undergraduates. The study administered the Nomophobia Questionnaire, which had been validated in previous articles, using an interview-based model. The collected data were reviewed and entered into the IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 26 (Released 2019; IBM Corp., Armonk, New York) for analysis. RESULTS: A total of 595 medical students were included in this study. Most of them (99%, n = 589) had different degrees of nomophobia, while only a small percentage (1%, n = 6) did not exhibit it. The younger medical students (18-19 years old) showed significantly higher percentages of moderate to severe nomophobia in comparison to older students (P = 0.028), while there was no significant relationship between nomophobia and academic performance, despite the fact that 128 (77.1%) of students with severe nomophobia had grade point averages (GPAs) of 3.5-4.0, compared to 244 (69.1%) of students with moderate nomophobia (P = 0.150). CONCLUSIONS: This study concludes that the prevalence rate of nomophobia is generally high among medical undergraduates at UQU in Makkah City, Saudi Arabia. This disorder was detected more among younger medical undergraduates, with no significant effects on their academic performance. It is mandatory to conduct more studies with larger sample sizes of different university students (medical and non-medical) to identify factors that lead to the development of nomophobia. Qualitative research among groups of university students will add more deep information about this disorder. Health education programs should be designed and targeted at university students, focusing on the harmful health effects of excessive use of mobile phones and measures to prevent this disorder.