Patterns and Outcomes of Complementary and Alternative Medicine Use Among Adult Patients With Multiple Sclerosis

Abstract

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic autoimmune disease that causes demyelination of the central nervous system. No treatment has been shown to be curative; thus, we assume that the tendency for patients with MS to use unconventional therapies, such as complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), might increase. The aim of this study was to explore the pattern of CAM use among patients with MS at a tertiary health care center in Saudi Arabia (SA). This was a questionnaire-based observational cross-sectional study that targeted adult patients diagnosed with MS at King Abdulaziz Medical City in Riyadh, SA, from 2018 to 2019. The sample size included 176 patients, and a consecutive non-probability sampling technique was used to engage them during their appointments. An Arabic questionnaire was used to evaluate patients’ use of CAM. The mean age of participants was 34.6 ± 10.9 years, females represented the majority 125 (71%) of participants, and 89% of the participants reported using CAM at least once, with one or more modalities being used. Prayer, Salat, was the most frequent modality (60%) followed by supplication, Dua'a (59%), Ruqia, reciting Holy Quran (52%), and vitamins (44%). Symptomatic improvement was reported by 49 (27.8%) of dietary supplement users and 81 (46%) of non-dietary supplement medicine users. The study found a high prevalence of CAM utilization among Saudi adult patients with MS, which exceeded internationally reported rates. Although some patients described some improvement in their symptoms, further research is needed to evaluate the effectiveness of CAM.

Complementary and alternative medicine in multiple sclerosis: a questionnaire-based study

“…Of great importance are also cultural disparities that strongly influence social acceptance and attitudes towards CAM, but also have an influence on the type of CAM used in different parts of the world. For example, a recently published study from Saudi Arabia [15] has demonstrated that the most commonly used modalities are prayer or reciting the Koran, while in other regions of the world, such as Europe, more popular are vitamins, massage or yoga [5,10,16]. According to our analysis, the most frequently used methods were vitamins (48%), and psychophysical methods such as massage or relaxation techniques (44%), which is similar to other European countries [5,17].…”

An Unusual Presentation of Multiple Sclerosis in a Middle-Aged Woman: A Case Report and Literature Review

“…The characteristics of itching common to these reported cases include abrupt onset and end of the episodes ranging from several seconds to several minutes with a frequency of 5-6 times a day or more mostly including the face, trunk, and extremities and rarely lower extremities [9]. The case described here presented with symptoms similar to those described by the aforementioned reports.…”

Factors associated with the use of complementary therapies in Taiwanese patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: a cross-sectional study

“…A national survey on 28,625 adult Americans found that those with diabetes were significantly more likely to use prayer, which was defined as whether they had ever prayed specifically for their own health [ 29 ]. Another recent study on patients with multiple sclerosis also showed that prayer was the most frequently used complementary therapy modality [ 30 ]. In Taiwan, a cross-sectional study of female patients with breast cancer receiving anticancer therapy reported a prevalence of 46.4% in the use of spiritual healing, especially prayer, since receiving a diagnosis of breast cancer [ 22 ].…”