Oral dietary supplements (DSs) include vitamins, minerals, amino acids, energy drinks, and herbal products. The use of DSs is increasing and their manufacturers promote their benefits. Studies have validated some of these benefits, but have also indicated that some DSs can have adverse effects, especially if used without the appropriate supervision. Little information on DS use among Saudis is available. This study assessed the use of dietary supplements among male and female university students with the goal of educating the community about DSs and the dangers associated with their misuse. Online and paper validated questionnaires were administered to King Abdulaziz University (KAU) students between September 2019 and January 2020. The responses were collected and analyzed statistically. Of the 954 KAU students who completed the survey, one-third used DSs (42.9% women vs 25.7% men). Of these, 51.7% believed that DSs are essential for health, 41.7% classified them as both food and drugs, 67.2% were aware that DSs could not replace a healthy diet, and 25.8% were aware of their potentially harmful effects. Multivitamins and minerals were the most used DSs. DS awareness among KAU students is limited. Additional health education is necessary to assist students in their selection of the most suitable DSs.

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Context: Inborn errors of metabolism are a large group of rare genetic diseases. The incidence of inborn metabolic errors, collectively, as high as 1 in 2500 live births, but it varies greatly and depends on the population. Presentation is usually in the neonatal period or infancy but can occur at any time. Diagnosis does not require extensive knowledge of biochemical pathways or individual metabolic diseases. Aims: To assess the students’ knowledge about IEM and to plan future improvement in the curriculum if needed and to plan and organize awareness campaigns. Settings and Design: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 400 undergraduate medical and non-medical students. Methods and Material: The study included 400 medical and non-medical students (including 202 males & 198 females) from the Rabigh campus. The questionnaire was constructed and translated into Arabic. The frequencies of different categories were evaluated for their statistical significance. Results: Among male students, trivial differences were observed between the answers of medical and non-medical students, both groups agreed on the fact that metabolic disorders can be caused by an enzyme deficiency. However, 36% of medical students and 43% of non-medical students did not know that metabolic disorders can be diagnosed prenatally. As regards the female students, 43% of non-medical students accepted that diagnosis usually needs invasive procedures, while 43 % of medical students refused that concept. On comparison of male and female students, 50 % of male students had no idea of the usefulness of gene therapy as a tool for management, yet 43 % of females agreed on the importance of gene therapy. Conclusion: More efforts should be exerted to raise the level of awareness and improve the knowledge among both medical and non-medical students and the community in Saudi Arabia by increasing the taught material regarding genetic diseases in universities and even introduce it in school.

Background Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative disease commonly affecting the knee joints. It affects patients socially, psychologically and economically and rates of the disease have been increasing due to obesity and old age. Regardless of choosing a medically conservative approach, it is a challenge in the long term to provide OA patients efficient treatment with minimal side effects and long-term efficiency. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is a convenient, low-cost and affordable treatment technique used in treating knee OA with encouraging efficient and safe outcomes. In this study we will investigate the effect of PRP on knee OA. Methods This is a prospective cohort study involving 252 patients with different OA grades. The Kellgren and Lawrence (K&L) system was used in classifying the affected knee by degenerative cartilage lesions as well as early and severe OA. All patients with a diagnosis of knee OA were screened in every visit before the injection, the pain was assessed by the 0-10 Numeric Rating Scale (NRS), and knee range of motion including flexion and extension was assessed by goniometer. Follow-up appointments were done on three-month intervals for a total of three visits for evaluation. Injection of PRP was given to all the patients with a maximum of four injections. The results were evaluated statistically according to the total number of followup visits. Results In grade II patients, the pain improved with the visits and the maximum improvement in flexion degree was noticed in patients who came for a total of three follow-up visits. In grade III patients, the most improvement in pain was in patients who came for three follow-up visits, while the most improvement in flexion degree was in patients who came for a total of two follow-up visits. Patients with grade IV who came for three follow-up visits showed the most improvement in pain and degree of flexion. Conclusions Intra-articular injections gave significant pain and flexion improvement in grades II, III and IV in OA patients, especially with multiple injection in the short-term follow-up. As a result, recommendation of repeated multiple injections up to four times is efficient in providing long time relief in knee OA.

Background: Clinical testing has demonstrated the role of the anterolateral ligament (ALL) in controlling anterolateral laxity and knee instability at high angles of flexion. Few studies have discussed the association between an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury and ALL injury, specifically after residual internal rotation and a post-ACL reconstruction positive pivot-shift that could be attributed to ALL injury. The goal of this study was to assess the correlation between ALL injury and ALL injury with concomitant ACL injury using MRI. Material and Methods: This was a retrospective study of 246 patients with unilateral ACL knee injuries from a database that was reexamined to identify whether ALL injuries occurred in association with ACL injuries. We excluded the postoperative reconstructed cases. The charts were reviewed on the basis of the presence or absence of diagnosed ACL injury with no regard for age or sex. Results: Of the 246 patients with ACL injury, there were 165 (67.1%) patients with complete tears, 55 (22.4%) with partial tears, and 26 (10.6%) with sprains. There were 176 (71.5%) patients with ALL and associated ACL injuries, whereas 70 (28.5%) did not have associated ACL injuries. There was a significant statistical relationship between ACL and ALL injuries (P<0.0001). Conclusions: There is high incidence of ALL tears associated with ACL injuries. Clinicians should be aware of this injury and consider the possibility of simultaneous ALL and ACL repair to prevent further knee instability. Level of Evidence: Level IV.