Background: Clinical trials are essential tools for advancing cancer treatment, improving survival rates, and introducing innovative therapies. However, patient participation in clinical trials remains low in the Middle East, including Saudi Arabia. This study explores Saudi cancer patients’ awareness, perceptions, and willingness to participate in clinical trials while identifying key barriers to enrollment. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted using a self-administered questionnaire distributed via email and social media. Saudi cancer patients aged 14 and older, fluent in Arabic or English, and with a confirmed cancer diagnosis were eligible. Ethical approval was obtained, and participation was voluntary with ensured data confidentiality. The survey assessed awareness of clinical trials, perceived benefits, willingness to enroll, and barriers to participation. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 23, with chi-square tests used to examine associations. Results: A total of 201 participants completed the survey. Most were female (69.2%), with a mean age of 39.5 years. Awareness of clinical trials was moderate (51.2%), with social media and healthcare providers being primary information sources. While 57.2% recognized the benefits of clinical trials, 44.8% expressed concerns about risks. Trust in healthcare providers influenced willingness to participate, with 49.8% confident in their physician’s recommendations. The most common barriers were fear of side effects (82.6%) and lack of information (42.8%). Only 5.5% had prior experience with clinical trials, but 35.3% expressed willingness to enroll if recommended by a healthcare provider. Gender and income were significantly associated with perceptions and willingness to participate. Conclusions: Findings highlight the need for targeted educational initiatives to improve awareness and trust in clinical trials among Saudi cancer patients. Addressing key barriers, particularly concerns about side effects and limited information, could enhance participation, ultimately advancing cancer research and treatment in the region.

This systematic review and meta-analysis assesses the effectiveness of no or low-dose versus high-dose aspirin on the incidence of coronary artery aneurysms (CAAs), intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) resistance, hospital stay length, and fever duration during the acute phase of Kawasaki disease. Our review adheres to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews guidelines. The PubMed and Google Scholar databases were comprehensively searched to identify relevant studies in the literature, including observational studies and randomized controlled trials (RCTs). The primary outcome was the incidence of CAAs. The secondary outcomes were the hospital stay length, fever duration, and IVIG resistance. The risk of bias was assessed using the Newcastle–Ottawa scale for cohort studies and Cochrane’s Risk of Bias Tool for RCTs. The data were analyzed using the Review Manager software. Twelve studies with a total of 68,495 participants met the inclusion criteria. The incidences of CAAs (odds ratio [OR] = 0.93; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.64–1.34) and IVIG resistance (OR = 1.46; 95% CI = 1.00–2.12) did not differ significantly between no or low-dose versus high-dose aspirin in treating acute KD. Moreover, the fever durations (mean difference [MD] = 3.55 h; 95% CI = −7.99–15.10) and hospital stay lengths (MD = −0.54 days; 95% CI = −2.50–1.41) were similar in the no and low-dose aspirin group compared to the high-dose aspirin group. Our review indicates that there are no significant differences in the incidences of CAA and IVIG resistance, fever durations, and hospital stay lengths between no or low-dose versus high-dose aspirin in treating the acute phase of KD.

Background: Vitamin D deficiency has reached epidemic proportions globally. Observational data link low vitamin D status to diabetes, dyslipidemia, and metabolic syndrome, but interventional trials on the effects of supplementation are limited. Objective: We investigated associations between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) levels and metabolic markers in Saudi adults. Methods: This retrospective cross-sectional study analyzed the clinical records of 476 patients from Saudi Arabia, aged 15–78 years. According to 25(OH)D levels, participants were stratified as vitamin D-sufficient (≥30 ng/mL), -insufficient (21–29 ng/mL), or -deficient (≤20 ng/mL). The outcomes were diabetic status (fasting glucose, HbA1c) and lipid panel results. Results: Higher diabetes prevalence was significantly associated with lower 25(OH)D levels (10.1% in the sufficient group, 11.6% in the insufficient group, and 18.3% in the deficient group). Similarly, worse lipid profiles were associated with more severe hypovitaminosis D, including a total cholesterol level of ≥240 mg/dL (5.3% in participants with normal vitamin D levels vs. 18.9% in those with deficient levels) and LDL ≥ 160 mg/dL (6.9% in participants with normal vitamin D levels vs. 13.2% in those with deficient levels). Vitamin D deficiency disproportionately affected women and adults > 45 years old. Conclusions: Vitamin D deficiency is endemic in Saudi Arabia and strongly linked to worsened metabolic markers. Optimizing vitamin D status through screening and correcting the deficiency may provide a cost-effective approach to confronting the regional diabetes epidemic and reducing cardiovascular disease risk.

Background and Objectives Helicobacter pylori is a known Gram-negative bacterium that colonizes the stomach of about 50% of the global population. Besides causing gastrointestinal symptoms, such as abdominal pain, discomfort, nausea, and burping, it also affects various other parts of the body, including the hematological system. Therefore, this retrospective cross-sectional study aimed to investigate complete blood count (CBC) parameters among patients infected with H. pylori. Materials and Methods This study was conducted at the polyclinic of King Faisal University in Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia. The data were collected between February and September 2024 from electronic medical records for 2015 to 2022. The 152 patients identified were split equally into two groups based on their H. pylori stool antigen test results: 76 with positive results, and 76 with negative results. Results CBC parameters did not differ significantly between groups. However, some CBC parameters differed significantly between males and females: hemoglobin, hematocrit, and red blood cell counts were significantly higher in males in both groups (both p < 0.001), whereas platelet counts, neutrophil counts, plateletcrit, and platelet–large cell coefficient were significantly lower in males (all p < 0.013). Conclusions The findings show that CBC parameters do not correlate with H. pylori infection. They also point to the need for additional studies across a broader range of clinics using different research techniques.