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Introduction. Patients with osteoarthritis not only ask about the impact of weight on their symptoms but also the impact of food on them. This includes foods that are described as either inflammatory or anti-inflammatory. The aim of our study was to investigate the possible relationship between food and osteoarthritis symptoms. Methods. The study was based on a questionnaire and it was conducted on patients undergoing osteoarthritis treatment in our department between February and September 2022. Results. We included 322 patients with a mean age of 59.57 ± 10.71, of whom 72.9% were women. The median duration of osteoarthritis was 4 years [2-10]. Only 7.9% reported that food affected their symptoms, with 4.4% experiencing improvement and 3.5% experiencing aggravation. The foods most often cited as improving joint symptoms were fish (1.2%), ginger (1.2%), and olive oil (1.2%), while red meat (1.2%) and soda (0.9%) were the most often cited as worsening symptoms. Approximately 2.2% of the patients exhibited food avoidance behaviors, while 3.7% adhered to specific diets and 1.3% tried fasting to alleviate joint symptoms. In this multivariate analysis, we suggest that certain diet practices have an impact on osteoarthritis symptoms. Conclusion. Our study found that only a minority of patients reported associations between some types of food and worsening or improving joint symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate the use of social media (SM) as a source of health information among patients with chronic low back pain (LBP) and to evaluate the factors associated with this use. Methods: This was a cross‐sectional study involving patients with chronic LBP. Information on their sociodemographics, LBP characteristics, and comorbidities was collected. With the use of a questionnaire, we evaluated the use of SM as a source of information, examining the frequency of use, the type of SM used, and degree of confidence and application of information found. Catastrophising, trust in physicians, and concerns regarding medicines were assessed through the Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS), Trust in Physician Scale (TPS) and Beliefs about Medicines Questionnaire (BMQ Specific Concerns). A regression analysis was conducted to identify factors associated with the use of SM. Results: A total of 118 patients were included. The mean age was 53.01 ± 14.09 years. Of the sample, 68.6% sought information regarding their LBP on social networks. The main source was YouTube (30%). Eighteen point six percent of patients trusted the information found through SM, and 16.1% have already acted on some of this information. The majority of patients (82%) would prefer to have healthcare professionals in their virtual spaces to answer their questions. In a multivariate analysis, only the degree of trust in the physician was negatively associated with SM use (OR = 0.95 IC 95% [0.91–0.99]; p = 0.03). Conclusion: This survey showed that a proportion of patients suffering from chronic LBP use SM, YouTube in particular, as a source of health information. The level of trust in physicians was the strongest factor that impelled people to use SM as a source of health information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Despite advances in the treatment of Chronic Inflammatory Rheumatic Disease (CIRD), pain remains a significant burden for patients and doctors. This study explored the prevalence and associated factors of central sensitization (CS) in patients with CIRD., Methods: This is a cross-sectional study that included patients with CIRD followed at the University Hospital Center in Tangier. Sociodemographic and clinical data were collected. Nociceptive pain was assessed by the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), disease activity by DAS-28 and ASDAS, and CS by the validated Moroccan version of the Central Sensitization Inventory part A (CSI-A). The Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS) was used to assess pain-related catastrophic thoughts, and the PHQ-9 (Pain Health Questionnaire) was used to determine the severity of depressive symptoms., Results: We included 189 patients; 107 (56.61%) had rheumatoid arthritis. The median duration of evolution of CIRD was 8 years, and the mean age was 47.49 ± 13.70 years, and 75.7% were women. The mean pain VAS was 4.77+-2.76, and 37.6% of patients were in remission. The mean central sensitization score was 37.42+- 16.75, with 44.9% having a CSI score≥40. In univariate and multivariate analysis, our study showed that central sensitization is associated with pain severity (β = 1.945(0.050-1.916), p = 0.039) and depression (β = 1.790(1.221-2.154), p ≤0.001)(8). A statistically significant correlation was found between the CSI-A score and pain VAS (r = 0.32, p <0.001)., Conclusion: Our study showed that almost half of our patients with CIRD had CS. The main factors associated with CS in our patients were pain severity and depression. We also found a significant correlation between pain VAS and CSI., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)

Introduction The role of diet in the onset or aggravation of chronic diseases, especially chronic inflammatory rheumatic disease (CIRD), such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA) or spondyloarthritis (SpA), is a question frequently asked by patients. Our study aims to investigate whether Moroccan patients report a relationship between certain diets and disease symptoms and to study whether patients adopt specific dietary behaviours in order to relieve their symptoms. Methods This is a cross-sectional survey that included all patients followed for CIRD. The questionnaire has three parts, patients' sociodemographic and clinical data, patients' beliefs and attitudes regarding diet in relation to their joint symptoms, and a list of 24 foods for which patients were asked to indicate whether they aggravate, improve, or leave their joint symptoms unchanged. Results Thirty-four percent of the patients reported that the food had an effect on their symptoms, with 25% of them reporting an aggravation. Honey, garlic, and olive oil were the foods most often reported to improve joint symptoms, while red meat, fish, and legumes were most often reported to worsen symptoms. Age and type of rheumatism were factors associated with reporting that food affects joint symptoms. Twenty-three percent of the patients stated that they had already had discussions about diet with their rheumatologists, while 85.7% showed interest in such discussions. Experience with a food that improves joint symptoms was the only factor associated with discussing the diet with a rheumatologist. Conclusion Nearly one-third of the patients with CIRD reported an effect of diet on their joint symptoms., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright © 2024, Takhrifa et al.)

Introduction: Generally, patients with chronic rheumatic diseases use complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in addition to their conventional treatments to manage their health. Discussing these treatments with their physician is still rare, which might be directly related to patients' trust toward them., Aim: The primary objective of this study was to assess the association between patients' trust in their physician and the use of complementary and alternative medicine among patients with chronic inflammatory rheumatic diseases. As secondary objectives, to estimate the prevalence of CAM use, and to identify the associated factors with their use and with trust in physicians., Methods: This is a cross-sectional study, which included patients with established chronic inflammatory rheumatic diseases, at the University Hospital Center in Tangier. The questionnaire included demographic and clinical information, use of conventional therapy, complementary and alternative therapy, as well as interpersonal trust in patient-physician relationships using the Trust in Physician Scale (TPS). A regression analysis was conducted to identify factors associated with CAM use and with trust in physicians., Results: The study included 189 patients. 57.14% of patients reported using complementary medicine at least once, most patients were women (77.78%), mean age was 46.67 ± 13.25 years with an average course of the disease of 11.11 ± 9.23 years. The most frequently used CAM treatments were cupping therapy, massage and the ingestion of a mixture of plants. Mean ± SD Trust in Physician Scale was 47.64 ± 7.2. There was no significant difference between CAM users vs. non-users (48.08 ± 6.9 vs 47.04 ± 7.4; p = 0.35). In uni and multivariate analysis, a low level of education was significantly associated with the use of CAM. However, no statistically significant difference was found with trust in physicians (OR = 1.020, 95% CI (0.978-1.063), p = 0.354)., Conclusion: CAM therapy is common in patients with chronic inflammatory rheumatic diseases. No statistically significant association was found with trust in physicians, it was rather observed with level of education., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)

Objective: To assess the attractiveness of a career in rheumatology among Moroccan medical students and to study factors that motivate or demotivate them to choose rheumatology as a future career., Methods: An electronic survey was distributed among students in medical training, interns, and graduates from the Faculty of Medicine at the University Hospital of Tangier. The questionnaire evaluated the level of clinical exposure to rheumatology, the interest in rheumatology as a specialty, and the motivation or demotivation for choosing or not choosing rheumatology as a career., Results: 318 students responded to the survey. Of these, 57.5% reported that they had already completed a training period in a rheumatology department. Of Moroccan students, 35.6% would consider specialising in rheumatology and 8.5% of these stated that rheumatology was their first specialty choice. The uni- and multi-variate analysis determined that clinical exposure to rheumatology (OR=2.39 IC95% [1.46-3.91]) and female gender (OR=1.95 IC95% [1.2-3.2]) were the main statistically significant factors for the prediction of the choice of rheumatology. Intern status was statistically associated with not choosing rheumatology (OR=0.085 IC95% [0.03-0.24]. The main motivation factors for Moroccan medical students to choose rheumatology were the diversity of musculoskeletal diseases (54.5%) and the good balance work/life (46.6%). The main reasons for not choosing rheumatology were the limited therapeutic aspects of the discipline (30.3%) and an interest in surgical specialties (29.3%)., Conclusion: Rheumatology fascinates Moroccan medical students by the diversity of its pathologies and the good balance work/life. Greater clinical exposure to rheumatology is the strongest predictor of medical students choosing rheumatology as a future career., Competing Interests: The authors have declared no conflicts of interest., (© 2023 The Mediterranean Journal of Rheumatology (MJR).)

Objectives: To evaluate oral hygiene status in Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients, to analyse possible related factors, and to investigate the role of the rheumatologist in information about importance of adequate oral hygiene status in RA patients., Methods: A cross-sectional study that included 100 consecutive RA patients (89% female, mean age 46.7 ± 11.7 years). For each patient, we recorded oral symptoms, oral hygiene status and role of rheumatologist in information on the oral hygiene status. Factors associated with regular brushing (≥2/day) were also analysed., Results: Median disease duration was 8 years (4;2). Dental pain was reported by 74% of patients and bleeding by 51% of them. Regular brushing was noted in 45% of patients. The use of a correct brushing method was noted in 14% of cases. Two patients reported visiting a dentist regularly. Information explaining that poor oral hygiene has a negative impact on RA was delivered by rheumatologist to 11 patients. Regular brushing of teeth was recommended by rheumatologist to 8 patients and 10 patients were advised by their rheumatologist to consult a dentist. Regular brushing was more important in women (48,3% vs 18,2%; p=0.05) and in the literate patients (57,6 vs 31,2%, p<0.01). No association was found between regular brushing, Disease Activity Score 28 (DAS28) and health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ)., Conclusion: This study illustrates bad oral hygiene status in RA patients, which seems more important in men and illiterate patients. It also highlights poor information given by the rheumatologist., (© 2021 The Mediterranean Journal of Rheumatology (MJR).)