OBJECTIVE:There is increasing interest in complementary and alternative medicine generaly, and especialy by those affected by chronic diseases, such as diabetes melitus. We aimed to determine the prevalence and pattern of complementary and alternative medicine use among patients suffering from diabetes melitus in Shiraz, southern Iran. Another objective was to explore associated factors for use of complementary and alternative medicine among patients with diabetes melitus.
METHODS: A 19-item semi-structured questionnaire (open- and close-ended) was administered to 239 patients with diabetes melitus in this cross-sectional study. It was carried out in two outpatient diabetes clinics afifliated with the Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
RESULTS:One hundred and eighty patients (75.3%) used at least one type of complementary and alternative medicine in the last year prior to the interview. Patients with diabetes melitus who were living in a large family (≥ 5 members), not taking insulin, and believed that complementary and alternative medicine have synergistic effects with conventional medicine, were independently and signiifcantly (P values: 0.02, 0.04, and 0.01, respectively) more likely to use complementary and alternative medicine. Most of the users (97.7%) reported use of herbal preparations, and 89.4% of users did not change their medication, neither in medication schedule nor its dosage.
CONCLUSION: The use of complementary and alternative medicine, especialy herbal remedies, is popular among diabetes patients in Shiraz, Iran. This use is associated with patients’ family size, type of conventional medications and their view about concomitant use of complementary and conventional medicine.

BACKGROUND:Subjective discomforts in a preclinical range are often due to imbalanced autonomic nervous system activity, which is a focus of craniosacral therapy. OBJECTIVE:The aim of this work was to determine any changes in heart rate variability (HRV) in a study on craniosacral therapy. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS AND INTERVENTIONS: This is a quasi-experimental (controlled) study with cross-over design. In a private practice, measurements were performed on 31 patients with subjective discomforts before and after a control and an intervention period. HRV was determined using a device that requires a measuring time of 140 s and electrode contact only with the ifngertips. Main PRIMARY OUTCOME MEASURES: HRV change under the inlfuence of a deifned one-time intervention (test intervention) with craniosacral therapy versus control (deifned rest period). RESULTS:Standard deviation of all RR-intervals (ms) and total power of RR-interval variability in the frequency range (ms2) were together interpreted as an indicator of test subjects’ autonomic nervous activity and as a measure of their ability to cope with demands on their health. Neither of these parameters increased during the control period (P>0.05), whereas during the test intervention period there was an increase in both (P<0.05, P<0.01). Nevertheless, interactions between treatment and the increase were statistically not signiifcant (P>0.05). No changes were observed in the low frequency/high frequency ratio (sympathetic-vagal balance) in the course of the control or the test intervention period (P>0.05). CONCLUSION: Craniosacral treatment had a favourable effect on autonomic nervous activity. This in itself is an interesting result, but further research will be needed to distinguish speciifc effects of craniosacral therapy technique from less speciifc therapist-client interaction effects.

OBJECTIVE:To compare the use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), including dietary supplements, by individuals with and without features of metabolic syndrome (FeMS).
METHODS:Using a cross sectional study design, information was obtained by self-administered questionnaires from 300 university individuals. FeMS was deifned as any individuals self-reporting at least one of the clinical diagnoses of diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, or obesity. Finally, two categories were created for cross tabulation, and individuals with and without FeMS were compared.
RESULTS:Of the 192 individuals completing the study, 39%(n=76) were currently using or had used CAM therapies in the past 12 months. Individuals with FeMS (n=54, 28%) were more likely (P<0.05) to use different types of CAM therapies, in particular dietary and herbal supplements, aromatherapy and massage therapy compared to individuals without FeMS (n=138, 72%).
CONCLUSION: Individuals with FeMS were more likely to use CAM, particularly supplements. Doctors need to properly inquire about and understand their patients’ supplement use, especially if CAM therapies are used in conjunction with conventional medications.