Complementary and alternative medicine for lowering blood lipid levels: A systematic review of systematic reviews.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this article is to summarize and critically evaluate the evidence from systematic reviews (SRs) of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) for lowering blood lipid levels (BLL). METHODS: Eight electronic databases were searched until March 2016. Additionally, all the retrieved references were inspected manually for further relevant papers. Systematic reviews were considered eligible, if they included patients of any age and/or gender with elevated blood lipid levels using any type of CAM. We used the Oxman and AMSTAR criteria to critically appraise the methodological quality of the included SRs. RESULTS: Twenty-seven SRs were included in the analyses. The majority of the SRs were of high methodological quality (mean Oxman score=4.81, SD=4.88; and the mean AMSTAR score=7.22, SD=3.38). The majority of SRs (56%) arrived at equivocal conclusions (of these 8 were of high quality); 7 SRs (37%) arrived at positive conclusions (of these 6 were of high quality), and 2 (7%) arrived at negative conclusions (both were of high quality). There was conflicting evidence regarding the effectiveness of garlic; and promising evidence for yoga. CONCLUSIONS: To conclude, the evidence from SRs evaluating the effectiveness of CAM in lowering BLL is predominantly equivocal and confusing. Several limitations exist, such as variety of doses and preparations, confounding effects of diets and lifestyle factors, or heterogeneity of the primary trials among others.

The economic costs of tobacco consumption in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

OBJECTIVE: Pending a comprehensive study of tobacco economics in Saudi Arabia, our aim was to estimate the economic costs of tobacco consumption in Saudi Arabia over a period of 10 years (2001-2010). METHODS: Pertinent data on imported tobacco were obtained from the Saudi Customs Authority through the Central Department of Statistics and Information. Mortality was calculated using the following parameters: 1 ton of tobacco consumed causes an average of 0.65 premature deaths, and the net loss was calculated as US $47.6 million (2011 US$ prices) for every 1000 tons of tobacco consumed. This represented the net cost of premature deaths and the direct and indirect costs of morbidity. RESULTS: Using 2011 prices, the economic loss due to tobacco was US $20.5 billion over the last 10 years, without accounting for smuggled (illegally imported) tobacco. If the smuggling rate was 10% or 25%, the economic loss would be 22.6 or 25.6 billion US$, respectively. There were 280,000 premature deaths during the same period without accounting for smuggled tobacco. CONCLUSIONS: In Saudi Arabia, short-term and long-term economic gains will result from reductions in tobacco use.

Ozone therapy in postgraduate theses in Egypt: systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Systematic reviews of the studies published in the major medical data bases have not shown solid support for the use of ozone therapy. Unpublished or grey literature, including postgraduate theses, may solve this controversy. OBJECTIVES: To review the postgraduate theses published in Egypt in order to assess the clinical safety and effectiveness of ozone therapy in specific medical conditions. METHODS: The databases of the Egyptian Universities' Library Consortium and the databases of each university were searched for postgraduate theses that evaluated ozone therapy as an intervention for any disease or condition in any age group, compared with any or no other intervention and published before September 2010. RESULTS: A total of 28 quasi trials were included. The theses did not report any safety issues in terms of ozone therapy. With respect to its effectiveness, the studies suggested some benefits of ozone in the treatment of dental infection and recovery, musculoskeletal disorders, diabetes mellitus, chronic diseases, and obstetrics and gynaecology. However, the number of studies included was small and they were of limited quality. CONCLUSION: There is insufficient evidence to recommend the use of ozone in the treatment of dental infections, in facilitating faster dental recovery after extraction or implantation, in diabetes mellitus, musculoskeletal disorders, or obstetrics and gynaecology.

The use of and out-of-pocket spending on complementary and alternative medicine in Qassim province, Saudi Arabia.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The current picture of the Saudis' use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) has not yet been developed. The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility of using the international questionnaire to measure use of complementary and alternative medicine (I-CAM-Q) in Saudi Arabia to evaluate the use of and out-of-pocket spending on CAM. DESIGN AND SETTINGS: It was a cross-sectional study, conducted in 2011, in primary health care centers in Qassim. METHODS: In a multistage sampling technique, 12 primary health care centers were selected randomly in the Al-Qassim province in Saudi Arabia. From each center, 100 attendants were interviewed for a total of 1160 completed questionnaires. RESULTS: A total of 74% of subjects had visited CAM providers in 12 months before the survey. This percentage decreased to 47.6% when spiritual healers were excluded. The specific CAM providers who were visited were spiritual healers (26.7%), herbalists (23.2%), providers of honeybee products (14.9%), and hijama (wet cupping; 13%). Chronic illnesses were the main reason for the visits. A total of 50% of subjects were satisfied with their visit. Physicians were the providers of CAM for 11.3% of the participants. More than 75% of the subjects used herbs in the previous 12 months for medical and health reasons, while only 25% used vitamins or minerals. Self-help was used in 26% of the participants. Relaxation (10.3%) was the most common self-CAM practice followed by meditation (6.7%). The subjects spent 350000 (US$) on CAM visits and 300000 (US$) purchasing CAM products. CONCLUSIONS: I-CAM-Q can be used in different populations and cultures in the East including Saudi Arabia after customization to overcome its limitations, as the questionnaire was developed in Western societies.

Status of complementary and alternative medicine in the curricula of health colleges in Saudi Arabia.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the status of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) education in health colleges in Saudi Arabia. METHODS: A cross sectional descriptive study was conducted including all medical, dentistry, pharmacy, nursing, allied medical science, and health colleges in Saudi Arabia. A semi- structured questionnaire was designed to collect information covering CAM tracks, courses and contents in the college's curricula, available postgraduates programs, continuing medical education activities, number of colleges staff members specialized or interested in CAM. RESULTS: Out of 110 health colleges in Saudi Arabia, 90 (81.1%) participated in the survey. There is no CAM specialized track or postgraduate education in any health college. Eleven (12.2%) colleges are teaching CAM courses in their curricula. Fifteen (16.7%) colleges are teaching topics related to CAM in different study subjects. Five (5.6%) colleges conducted continuing medical education (CME) activities related to CAM. Among faculty members, there are only 16 CAM specialists working in 7 colleges and 84 interested staff members, working in 20 colleges. Colleges of pharmacy are more interested in CAM education compared to other colleges with 42.9% (6/14) of them have CAM courses in their curricula, (p=0.006). Also, they have more faculty CAM specialists (p=0.026) compared to other colleges. CONCLUSION: There is a low and diverse attention given to CAM in medical education in Saudi Arabia. There is a need for a national plan to review health colleges curricula to prepare health care providers for the integration of evidenced based CAM practices.

Public knowledge, attitude and practice of complementary and alternative medicine in riyadh region, saudi arabia.

OBJECTIVES: Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is well established worldwide. The present work is aimed at studying the knowledge, attitude and practice of CAM by the people of Riyadh region, Saudi Arabia. METHODS: A cross-sectional descriptive household survey study of the people living in Riyadh city, as well as the surrounding governorates. A multistage random sample was taken from 1(st) January to the end of March 2010, with a total number of 518 participants. Data were collected using a pre-designed questionnaire through direct interview. The data was collected based on socio-demography, as well as knowledge, attitude and practice of CAM. RESULTS: Participants were nearly sex-matched, consisting of approximately 70% Saudi and 30% non-Saudis. About 89% of the participants had some knowledge of CAM. Mass media e.g. (T.V., newspapers and radio) and family, relatives and friends represented the main sources of CAM knowledge, (46.5% and 46.3% respectively). Nearly 85% of participants or one of their family members has used some form of CAM before, and the most common users of CAM practices were females, housewives, and illiterate subjects (or those who could just read and write), as well as participants aged 60 years and above. Medical herbs (58.89%), prayer (54%), honey and bee products (54%), hijama (35.71%) and cauterization or medical massage therapy (22%) were the commonly used CAM practices. Most participants agreed that there are needs for; CAM practices (93.8%), regulations for CAM (94.9%), health education (96.6%), specialized centers (94.8%) and CAM clinics (92.7%). While only 8.3% of participants usually discussed CAM with their physicians. CONCLUSION: There is a high prevalence and increased public interest in CAM use in the Riyadh region. There is a positive attitude towards CAM, yet most participants are reluctant to share and discuss CAM information with their physicians.