<?xml version="1.0"?>
<Articles JournalTitle="Current Journal of Neurology">
  <Article>
    <Journal>
      <PublisherName>Tehran University of Medical Sciences</PublisherName>
      <JournalTitle>Current Journal of Neurology</JournalTitle>
      <Issn>2717-011X</Issn>
      <Volume>13</Volume>
      <Issue>1</Issue>
      <PubDate PubStatus="epublish">
        <Year>2014</Year>
        <Month>03</Month>
        <Day>15</Day>
      </PubDate>
    </Journal>
    <title locale="en_US">Level of attitude toward complementary and alternative medicine among Iranian patients with multiple sclerosis.</title>
    <FirstPage>13</FirstPage>
    <LastPage>18</LastPage>
    <AuthorList>
      <Author>
        <FirstName>Mohammad Hossein</FirstName>
        <LastName>Harirchian</LastName>
        <affiliation locale="en_US">Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.</affiliation>
      </Author>
      <Author>
        <FirstName>Mohammad Ali</FirstName>
        <LastName>Sahraian</LastName>
        <affiliation locale="en_US">Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Sina MS Center, Tehran, Iran.</affiliation>
      </Author>
      <Author>
        <FirstName>Amir</FirstName>
        <LastName>Hosseinkhani</LastName>
        <affiliation locale="en_US">Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences AND Iranian Center of Neurological Research, Tehran, Iran.</affiliation>
      </Author>
      <Author>
        <FirstName>Nasibeh</FirstName>
        <LastName>Amirzargar</LastName>
        <affiliation locale="en_US">Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences AND Iranian Center of Neurological Research, Tehran, Iran.</affiliation>
      </Author>
    </AuthorList>
    <History>
      <PubDate PubStatus="received">
        <Year>2015</Year>
        <Month>10</Month>
        <Day>14</Day>
      </PubDate>
    </History>
    <abstract locale="en_US">Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an unpredictable neurological disease leading to severe disability in young adults.&#xA0; The&#xA0; majority of MS patients&#xA0; use&#xA0; complementary and&#xA0;&#xA0;&#xA0;&#xA0; alternative medicine&#xA0; (CAM)&#xA0; as adjunct&#xA0; to conventional&#xA0; therapies.&#xA0; This study&#xA0; aimed&#xA0; to&#xA0; investigate the prevalence&#xA0; of CAM utilization among&#xA0; Iranian patients with MS and their attitude&#xA0; toward the CAM usage.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 119 definite MS patients referred to Tehran&#x2019;s Imam Khomeini and Sina hospitals. A questionnaire was used to examine the association between&#xA0;&#xA0; participants&#x2019;&#xA0; health-related factors and usage&#xA0; of CAMs interventions.P value &lt; 0.05 was considered statistically significant.
Results: Among the enrolled patients, 60% of the participants agreed with using CAM, 42% experienced&#xA0; the usage of these treatments; out of whom 41% believed its efficiency and&#xA0; 18% reported exacerbation of symptoms. The mean&#xA0; duration of disease diagnosis&#xA0; and&#xA0; mean&#xA0; time from symptom onset&#xA0; were both longer in users of CAM (P = 0.001). Most socio-demographic factors had no significant effect on the type of used CAM. However, Yoga was&#xA0; significantly&#xA0; more applied&#xA0; in those with higher degree of education&#xA0; (P = 0.002).
Conclusion: Regarding the widespread use of CAM by Iranian patients with MS, further researches&#xA0; about&#xA0; the safety&#xA0; and&#xA0; efficacy of&#xA0; each&#xA0; treatment&#xA0; on&#xA0; the&#xA0; special outcomes&#xA0; is recommended.</abstract>
    <web_url>https://ijnl.tums.ac.ir/index.php/ijnl/article/view/630</web_url>
    <pdf_url>https://ijnl.tums.ac.ir/index.php/ijnl/article/download/630/172</pdf_url>
  </Article>
</Articles>
