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Background: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is the most common chronic disorder among the Saudi population; it reaches up to 20% of the population. Alternative medicine (AM) use among the Saudi population is more common among the elderly due to some beliefs. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of AM use among diabetic patients and their adverse effects, and to raise awareness about these acts. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted to assess the use of AM among diabetic patients in Al Kharj, Saudi Arabia. We interviewed 558 people with diabetes of both genders and all ages in hospitals and primary care clinics in Al Kharj, Saudi Arabia. Results: A total of 558 diabetic patients participated in the present study. Most included patients (61.6%) were type II DM. Only 17.9% of the patients were using AM, while 66.4% were not, and 15.7% had used AM prior. Only 4.7% of the diabetic patients preferred AM use, while 24.4% preferred modern medicine use. 12.8% of the participants reported that AM could cause adverse effects. Most patients were regular in drug use (70%), while only 6.8% were not committed to drug use. Conclusion: The present study found the prevalence of AM use among diabetic patients to be 17.9%. Only 4.7% of the diabetic patients preferred AM use. The most used AM were fennel flower, honey, and herbs. Gender and education were significant factors in AM use among diabetic patients.

Introduction Early identification of patients at high risk of progression could help with a personalised treatment strategy. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) measures have been proposed to predict long-term disability in multiple sclerosis (MS), but a reliable predictor that can be easily implemented clinically is still needed. Aim Assess MRI measures during the first 5 years of the MS disease course for the ability to predict progression at 10+ years. Methods Eighty-two MS patients (53 females), with ≥10 years of clinical follow-up and having two MRI scans, were included. Clinical data were obtained at baseline, follow-up and at ≥10 years. White matter lesion (WML) counts and volumes, and four linear brain sizes were measured on T2/FLAIR ‘Fluid-Attenuated-Inversion-Recovery’ and T1-weighted images. Results Baseline and follow-up inter-caudate diameter (ICD) and third ventricular width (TVW) measures correlated positively with Expanded Disability Status Scale, ≥10 or more of WMLs showed a high sensitivity in predicting progression, at ≥10 years. A steeper rate of lesion volume increase was observed in subjects converting to secondary progressive MS. The sensitivity and specificity of both ICD and TVW, to predict disability at ≥10 years were 60% and 64%, respectively. Conclusion Despite advances in brain imaging and computerised volumetric analysis, ICD and TVW remain relevant as they are simple, fast and have the potential in predicting long-term disability. However, in this study, despite the statistical significance of these measures, the clinical utility is still not reliable.

Objective: To explore the impact of different lung cancer treatment modalities on survival time and mortality rates in older patients. Methods: The Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) database was used to identify lung cancer patients aged ≥50 years old in the United States. Descriptive statistics and trend charts from 2000 to 2016 were generated. Regression analysis was performed among lung cancer patients to explore the association between survival time and treatment utilization (chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery). A regression model was also applied to explore the association between treatment modalities and odds of dying. Results: A total of 826,217 patients were diagnosed with lung cancer between 2000-2016. The number of lung cancer cases increased by 7%, and the average annual frequency was 48,529 cases per year. Survival, mortality, and treatment utilization varied over the years based on demographic, clinical characteristics, and social status. Five-year survival rate was less than 10% among the study population, and 84% of included lung cancer patients died. Chemotherapy was more commonly used (62%), followed by radiation (35%) and surgical interventions (22%). Chemotherapy and surgery showed a survival advantage. The odds of dying were two times higher among patients treated with surgery than those who were not (OR: 2.62, 95%Cl: 2.58- 2.67). Conclusion: This study highlighted the importance of considering treatment modalities and individual patient characteristics, which may impact survival times and mortality rates among older lung cancer patients.